


pirate ships and tape recorders

by synically



Category: TOMORROW X TOGETHER | TXT (Korea Band)
Genre: Action/Adventure, Aged-Up Character(s), Alternate Universe - Magic, Alternate Universe - Pirate, Blood and Violence, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Minor Character Death, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Riddles, Trigger Warnings, i suck in writing tags so i'll just put some as i go, kind of a cliche adventure fic if you asked me, let txt curse ffs, on hold til further notice bcos i need to figure sht out, other tw on notes bcos i haven't figured out every detail yet, profanities
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-26
Updated: 2020-07-19
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:20:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 5
Words: 28,172
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24925288
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/synically/pseuds/synically
Summary: all it takes was a desire to change his fate before he was plunged into a world of pirates and magicwanting to go home, he was forced to join on a quest full of riddles, violence, and musicall of which would've been bearable if only the captain wasn't extremely good-looking, making him question his very existence"how would i know where you are?""you'll find me in the stars."// i suck at summaries but that's the best i could do without actually spoiling anything lol// a pirate!txt au literally no one has asked for
Relationships: Choi Beomgyu/Choi Yeonjun, Choi Soobin/Huening Kai
Comments: 10
Kudos: 47





	1. A Riddle?

**Author's Note:**

> hiiii! this idea has bugged me since forever and i couldn't just let it die in my head, so here we are! i got inspired by their cysm and puma stage outfits which were really cool (esp gyu's, i really got a pirate vibe from his cysm outifts, like the black one in the mv and studio choom)
> 
> this is actually my second work, the first being a taegyu au (shameless promo but pls check it out too <3)
> 
> have fun!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "But if you want to change your fate . . . "

The warm light of the morning sun caresses the thin fabric of the curtains draped over the open balcony door. A fresh breeze blew in, coaxing the boy in a calming atmosphere, despite the whirl of emotions in his chest. He hears birds chirping melodically outside the glass, the rhythmic sound of the water sprinkler activated downstairs, and the busy buzz of people inside the room he’s in.

"Please take a seat here, Sir."

"A little makeup would suffice such a handsome lad."

"Are you sure about the earrings, Sir? Your Majesty might not approve of it."

"You can take a look in the mirror now, Your Highness."

The lad did everything as he was told; now turning to face the huge mirror of the dressing room. He find himself looking decent enough for the occasion; a light blue long-sleeved silk shirt with ruffles decorating the front button placket and wrists, tucked into white pants that highlights his long legs, and a pair of white shoes. His white coat was held by another maid waiting for his command.

He slightly fixed his hair, making sure that not a single strand was out of place. As he once again eyed himself in the mirror, his own eyes scanned his appearance. He knows he should at least be lively for the occasion, but all he sees in the mirror is the awaiting look of disappointment that he'd certainly feel hours later.

"Ah as expected, Mistress Yongsun. You always outdid yourself." He smiled at the said female, which only giggled and bowed at him.

"Of course, it is always an honor, Sir."

He nodded back, seemingly satisfied with the way he's dressed up. He was about to say another word when a knock interrupted them.

"Come in." He ordered.

Commander Namjoon, the head of the Royal Guard came in, bended on one knee and hung his head low as a sign of respect.

He fought the urge to roll his eyes at the gesture.

"You may stand."

Namjoon did as he was told.

"Please leave us be, aside for you Head Mistress."

One of the maids handed his coat to the mistress before the maids and officers left the room, leaving only Namjoon and Yongsun with him.

He sighed, "How many times do I have tell the both of you to stop being so formal with me?" He walked towards one of the stools and took a seat, crossing his arms in front of his chest and frowned.

The two older laughed at his complaint, as if it was already a natural occurrence for them.

"We still had to as it is unnatural for us to just drop the formalities out of the blue." Namjoon said, dimples showing.

"It isn't out of the blue. You two are like _parents_ to me already."

"But the others doesn't know that, do they?" Yongsun cooed.

He groaned, "I just don't want you to treat me like how they do. It's irritating at some point."

"We know it is, and we are sorry, but we have no choice. Just enjoy it for now. It gets worse when you're King." Namjoon tries to convince.

"If I become King, I'd change that stupid rule." He rolled his eyes, earning laughter from them again, in which he joined. He was always comfortable with the two, despite finding out their _secrets_.

"We better get going Your Royal Highness." Namjoon said, teasing, "Your Majesty had been waiting for you, and the guests have already arrived at the kingdom."

He nodded, collecting the coat from Yongsun before he proceeded in front of the mirror again, and put it on.

As he stared at the mirror again, he feels a small pang of sadness creep in his system. Then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath in order to relax his nerves.

When he opened his eyes, he was met with his own reflection, staring back at him with its own cat-like eyes glinting with the sadness he had kept in him for so long.

"Prince Yeonjun?" Yongsun called out, standing at the doorway with Namjoon.

He took one last look at himself, before turning away.

"I'm coming."

~

"I'm sorry for dragging you out here, Princess. I needed an excuse to get away from my father."

The princess smiled at him, "It's no problem, Your Highness. Don't worry."

Prince Yeonjun exhaled relief as they silently walk the paths in the castle gardens. It was quiet, peaceful, and comfortable much to the prince's liking. He needed the fresh air to relax his constricting heart from the news that his father proclaimed _again_.

"Care to sit down at the gazebo?" The princess had suggested, to which he nodded. The two of them made way towards the nearest gazebo and sat on one of the benches perched in the middle.

Silence enveloped them before the princess broke it.

"I think I could understand what you feel."

Yeonjun turned to look at her, and she has a soft yet sad smile gracing her thin pink lips. He waited for her to speak further, suddenly curious about the princess' thoughts.

"It's tiring." The princess started, "Having your parents force you to meet possible suitors, spending time with them despite knowing the future heartbreak and disappointment because you didn't want them in the first place. And then all you'll want is to get away. From this life, from everything."

At that, Yeonjun nodded in understanding, feeling the exact same way.

"It's a lame tradition, I suppose." Yeonjun responds, "Set-up meetings, lame conditions, and forced marriages. Why do they think that they can control our lives like this?"

"I assume you don't want me as your queen?" The princess had asked, quite straightforward that Yeonjun almost choked on air.

"I-I didn't mean it like that- I-" He stuttered, but the princess had only bursted out in laughter.

"I was just kidding, Your Highness." She beamed, teasing, "To be fair, I didn't want you as my king, either."

Yeonjun frowned at her and she only laughed more, clutching onto her stomach. Soon enough, Yeonjun was joining her.

"Oh God. That was funny." She said, wiping a stray tear from her eye, "But in all seriousness though, I think you're not bad at all. Comparing to the other princes I've met, I'd say you're a much better company."

Yeonjun's ears heaten at the unexpected confession, and he looked back at her. She has a shy smile on her lips, which made him smile too.

"I don't think you're bad yourself." He mutters, earning a giggle from the princess.

They grew silent for a short while, until they saw a small girl approaching them. Yeonjun doesn't recognize her so he assumed that it was one of the princess' company.

"Your Royal Highness." She bowed politely towards them and they bowed back, acknowledging her before she turned to the princess. "Princess Yeji, I've been told to inform you that your quarters have been set. I've also been asked to tell both of you that supper would be ready soon."

"Thank you Jisu." Princess Yeji said, and the girl bowed again in respect, "Shall we get going Your Highness?" She asked the prince as she stood up, though her eyes was still on the lady in front of them, staring back at her.

"I guess we should." He replied, standing up as well, noticing the way the two girls exchange meaningful glances.

"Please, follow me." Jisu said as she turned, guiding the two royalties back into the palace.

The two of them followed her wordlessly. But not before Yeonjun noticed the blush on Yeji's cheeks and the feigned smile she tries to hide.

~

Supper went by slowly, much to Yeonjun's dismay. He loves eating, eats most types of food a lot, but he just wasn't feeling it at the moment. Especially since he was upset with his father.

Which is why, immediately after finishing his dessert, he had already excused himself to leave, not wanting to spend another minute in the King's presence. He didn't care if the Princess was with them and he acted rudely. Truthfully, he had already stopped caring a long time ago.

Yeonjun stayed at one of the ground platforms near the back part of the palace, overlooking the southern gardens. It was one of the only places in the palace where he could truly relax as he inhales the fresh cold breeze of the early night. He glances at the sky, looking for some stars, but due to the bright lights of the castle, he couldn't find one, so he opted to just stare at the moon.

_"If I just turn it off, everything will be more comfortable_

_I'm okay but I'm not okay_

_I told myself I'm used to it_

_But I'm in pain like it's the first time."_

He was surprised by the sudden applause and he turned, only to see the princess.

Yeonjun turned away, "My apologies for the supper. I know it might seem impolite but-"

"It's fine. I would've done the same." Yeji said as she approaches the prince, "I've also been asked to accompany you. That is, if you wouldn't mind."

"I could use some company, sure." He said, seeing the princess stand next to him from his peripheral.

The two of them went silent as they watched the moon slowly get higher in the sky. Yeonjun had a lot of thoughts in his mind, and he couldn't quite organize on what to think first.

He's the Crown Prince of Jeju, the only heir to the throne, son of the King Seokjin. Yet why does despite the power, despite the title he holds onto his name, he wasn't happy?

Oh, right. He knows why.

Being a prince limited his freedom. Being an heir hinders him to get out of the palace gates. Being the future king was a burden he didn't choose to have.

All of those would've been bearable.

If only he didn't need to marry a princess to be the king.

Since he became of legal age, his father had ordered to open the palace gates for visitors; for other kingdoms to present their daughters for him to choose from, for princesses from far and wide to come to their abode in hopes to be his queen. But he didn't want any of them.

In his eyes, they were all vain. Only wanting him for the throne, for the title of Queen of Jeju, ruler of the most beautiful kingdom in the Far East.

He gave them a fair chance of course, that was why every princess that visited their kingdom was given a month or two to live with them. To convince him, to make him fall for them. Yet it all ended up the same way.

Disappointment.

And a waste of time.

Yeonjun would admit that they were really beautiful girls of all nationalities and colors. But their personalities were really off. No matter how much they would try to change.

Yeonjun was just looking for something else.

"Those are some really deep thoughts."

Yeonjun jerked in surprise, momentarily forgetting the princess in his company.

"Sorry." He mumbles, before letting out a deep sigh.

"You can tell me about it, you know?" Yeji says. Yeonjun noticed that she was now sitting on the thick railing of the platform. "I know this _engagement_ thing or some sort is really frustrating, but I want to be here for you. Not as a princess, especially not as a fiancé, but as a friend."

Yeonjun's eyes widen with shock at what the princess had said, and he lifted his gaze up to her face. She has a smile on her lips and her eyes crinkling into crescents, and she just looked ethereal in her white dress. Yeonjun was not used to the sincerity she brought, and he was definitely not used to the way his heart doubled its beat.

He swallowed the lump in his throat as he looked away, "It's just- I realized that I haven't met anyone that attracted me. I've met a lot of really pretty girls, but that's just it. There was no one I felt connected with? Sometimes I think, 'is there something wrong with me?' I don't know if it's just because I haven't met the right girl yet . . . " He drones, "Sorry, I'm rambling."

Yeji creased her forehead and glanced at him, "Don't you think it's _not_ a girl you're looking for?"

Yeonjun opened his mouth to speak, but no words came out. He knew very well what the princess had just implied, and the thought just made him blank out.

"Oh my god. I am so sorry." The princess frantically said, hand clasping her mouth. "It was insensitive of me to assume. I'm sorry, it was just a sudden thought-"

"No! No, it's okay." Yeonjun shook his head, "I think I could understand that anyway. I would admit that it had crossed my mind before . . ."

_What if it was a boy that I'm looking for?_

The princess seemed to have been caught off guard by what the prince had said, and Yeonjun would definitely understand why.

In their kingdoms, people who wants to be with people of the same sex gets punished. It was looked down upon, considered as a sin. What more if the kingdom's _rulers_ were those people? The Council wouldn't want that.

"It . . . has?" The princess asked.

Yeonjun scratched his head, clearly a bit embarrassed because it was a sensitive topic no one ever wanted to discuss.

"I had thought of that before . . . liking boys." His voice was small, hesitant but Yeji hears him nonetheless, and she listens to him intently, which was a surprise for Yeonjun. "I just haven't really met a lot of boys so I still don't know. But I'm open for possibilities, I guess?"

Strained silence went by, and Yeonjun briefly considers to take back what he said in favor of removing the awkward atmosphere enveloping them.

"I'd like to admit something." The princess says.

Yeonjun glanced at her and found her fidgeting with her fingers, her cheeks were flushed pink. He tilted his head, "Sure. But don't pressure yourself."

Yeji offered him a shy smile before saying, "I'm bisexual."

Yeonjun's eyes widen a fraction. _Oh._

"I know. People don't allow non-heterosexuality." She chuckled awkwardly, "All my life, my parents had expected me to fall for a boy, to look for a boy to love, and to marry a boy. For a while I believed them, that the only one for me would be one of the opposite sex. Until I met someone and my view of the world changed."

Yeonjun remembers the time earlier when they were in the gazebo; the way the princess' cheeks flushed red, her eyes sparkle with adoration, the meaningful glances exchanged between her and the young lady.

"Was it the young lady earlier? The one who fetched us for supper?"

At his words, the princess immediately blushed hard and darted her eyes anywhere but the prince. Yeonjun found it cute.

"Was it that obvious?"

"Not really. I'm just observant."

Yeji hummed at that, "Her name is Jisu. She's my Lady Royal. She has been with me for years, and those years are the best ones of my life." She picked out one flower from the bush beside the railing, "She made me feel things that no male could make me feel. It took me long to realize, but one day I just woke up feeling something more for her. And it only grew as days went by. It might be cliché but for me, she's like the first day of spring. The feeling of something blooming after the harsh coldness that winter gave. And I just love that feeling so much.

"My father wouldn't allow it of course. That's why we've kept our love a secret for a long time. I'd fight for her, yet I'm afraid of losing her since the stakes are so high. But what saddens me the most is the heartbreak I would cause her, just because she falls in love with a princess."

Yeonjun held her hand and gave it a firm squeeze, providing comfort. He carefully digests every word the princess had said, and with a newfound determination, "I'll get you out of this situation, Princess. I promise."

Princess Yeji looked at him in shock, "What?"

"I want to help you. I want to get you out of this. I don't know how yet, but I promise you that I will."

The two of them stared at each other for a while. The princess was looking at him with a reading expression on her face, as if she was making sure that the prince was not joking around, but Yeonjun's eyes were full of sincerity. She then flashed him a wide smile, her eyes turning into crescents. "Thank you, Your Highness."

"Oh please. You can just call me Yeonjun." The prince said. He didn't know why, but despite meeting the princess for the first time this day, he had already felt a sort of calm and comforting atmosphere around her.

Yeji rolled her eyes playfully, the smile dancing on her lips, "Fine, _dumbass_."

~

Early in the morning, Yeonjun watched their people go on about their routines as he leaned against an alley wall; traders endorsing their products, sellers guarding their stalls, little children stealing pieces of bread. It was a busy marketplace area, and he wasn't supposed to be here but he enjoyed seeing the people this close.

As his eyes follow the two young thieves running away, he suddenly wondered why they were stealing food, where are their parents to look after them. And with his natural curiosity, he fixed the cloth covering half of his face and made sure there were no guards around before following them.

His steps led him to a poorer side of their kingdom. Yeonjun held onto his disguise tightly while he cautiously moves forward, eyes darting around the almost empty alleyways in search for the children. He hadn't really been in this place before, and he had heard rumors that pirates sometimes camp in the abandoned buildings, making the place dangerous for most people, especially for the royals.

And when he found what he was looking for, the children were already eating the bread they stole with who seemed to be their mother, sitting on a mat on the side of the street. His heart sank at the sight and he immediately decided to give them something better to eat. Yeonjun searched his pockets. Luckily, he was able to bring gold and silver coins. He glanced at his surroundings, looking for a place to buy food, before making his way to the only pub in the area.

As he entered the said pub, he was greeted by the obnoxious smell of alcohol and the sharp gazes of middle-aged men. Yeonjun stiffened on the spot and he took in their appearances; beards, tattoos, yellow teeth, too much accessories on their bulky bodies.

_Pirates._

Fear flushed in his system.

_Bloodthirsty, ruthless pirates._

Yeonjun thought he was done for when the men stared him up and down, but they only collectively snickered and returned to their drinks and conversations.

Dumbfounded, the prince blinked a couple of times as he fixed the cloth on his face before making his way to the counter, where a woman was eyeing him since he entered the building.

"What would you like, sir?" She politely asked, still scanning the prince's covered face.

"Uh . . . " Yeonjun scanned the menu perched on top of the counter and pointed to a dish, "Three of these please."

As Yeonjun handed his payment, his eyes went to a couple of old parchments glued on the wall behind the counter, like displayed portraits in a museum. The first was a drawing of a boy who seemed to be younger than him; he had huge eyes and a pointed nose, basically it was a well-sculpted face. There were scribbles underneath the picture:

**Missing: Taehyun**

**Reward: 9,000 Gold**

He tilted his head on the side, _Where could he have gone to?_

Yeonjun looked at the next drawing; it was another boy, but his face was half-covered. All he could see was his eyes, intimidating and yet . . . captivating. It seemed like the _stars_ camped into the orbs. It was stupid because it was just a painting, Yeonjun admits, but that’s how he felt gazing into it. Below it read:

**Wanted: The Burning Tiger**

**Dead or Alive**

**Reward: 50,000 Gold**

The woman seemed to have noticed the way he looked at the posters for she spoke up. “Those are from three years ago, you shouldn’t bother with that.”

“Was he found?” He asked, curious.

The woman shook her head, “No. Some say he was killed by that pirate.” She said, pointing at the other drawing before she left, proceeding to serve other customers.

The prince took one last glance at the poster before he looked around the pub as he waits for the order; it was only a small shop with round wooden tables and brown chairs, all of which were occupied by men. There were banners and rusty weapons hanging on the walls, as well as pictures of ships and vikings, and an upbeat song was playing from the jukebox, with which the men was singing along loudly and off-pitch. The smell of alcohol was lingering in the air, even at this early in the morning. But the overly mood inside was warm and welcoming, much to Yeonjun's surprise.

As he was looking at the pirates' faces, he suddenly noticed that they were far _too close_ to each other. And that's when he realized that some were actually _kissing_ , almost eating each other's faces from how heated the kisses are. His eyes widen a fraction and he looked away, afraid that he might be intruding something intimate despite being in a public place. But the moment his gaze shifted, he caught sight of the woman earlier, openly flirting with another woman behind the counter. His mouth hung open as he took the sight of them making out.

"It's rude to stare, young man." A voice said.

Yeonjun turned to the voice and saw an old man, probably in his sixties, sitting at one of the stools beside the counter. He was sipping what seemed to be like tea, before he put his cup down and looked at Yeonjun properly.

The old man's face remained stoic as he stared the prince down. Yeonjun was slightly trembling in his pants at the intimidating gaze, but he held it firmly.

What caught him by surprise were the old man's next words:

"What are you doing here, _Your Highness_?"

His eyes widen comically, someone had recognized him. And what makes his situation worse was the fact that he doesn't know this side of the kingdom well enough, and that he was surrounded by pirates.

"I-I . . . I was just-" He stuttered, not quite knowing what to say. He had sneaked out a lot of times before but no one ever recognizes him.

The old man hummed, amused, "Don't mind me. I'm just an old man passing by." He said, smiling mysteriously.

_"But if you want to change your fate,_

_the life written by the stars,_

_then you can look for me,_

_where the grain meets the salt."_

Yeonjun tilted his head at the sudden riddle, confusion etched on his features, but the old man only looked at him meaningfully.

"Your order's up, young lad. You wouldn't want that family to starve any longer, won't you?"

The prince looked at the counter in front of him and sure enough, a small bag with three packs of food was already there. But that wasn't what his mind focused on.

_How did he know this was for them?_

He swiveled to his side, but the old man was nowhere to be found.

~

The moment Yeonjun stepped foot inside the palace, he knew he was done for. He had took too long for his “morning exercise” (since he got a little lost on the way back) and now, he was face-to-faced with his father in the stair room, who looked unimpressed as the king eyes him from head to toe, lingering for a second longer at the cloth in his son’s hands. Yeonjun instinctively hid it behind his back despite knowing it was too late.

“What do you think you’re doing Yeonjun?” Seokjin says, tone strict.

Yeonjun wet his lips to answer but no words came from his mouth. He opted to look at the glass windows on his right instead of his father’s analyzing eyes, finding the colorful panes more interesting than his father’s words. He knows where this conversation would lead to, and upon sensing the atmosphere, he knows the outcome will be much worse than yesterday’s argument.

“How long have you been sneaking out?” The king presses, looking down at him from where he stood on the stairs, “Don’t you know how dangerous it is out there? What if something happens to you? What would the people say? What will the _Council_ say for your reckless actions?”

“It’s always what _they_ would say. Why won’t you listen to what I say too?” Yeonjun fumes, glaring at his father, “I’m an adult! Someday, I’m going to rule this kingdom too but even then, I have no idea how the kingdom works, how the people are because you always want me caged here like I’m some fucking animal!”

“I can’t protect you out there Yeonjun!”

“Maybe I don’t need your protection!” Yeonjun retorts, his voice raising.

“For god’s sake, why are you so stubborn? I’ve always told you that I have reasons-“

“Then why don’t you tell me? You’re always so closed off. If I haven’t even seen you with Namjoon that night then you wouldn’t tell me anything!” Yeonjun hisses, he couldn’t care less whether there were butlers or maids around them, he just needed to vent all his pent-up frustrations to his father at the moment. “I can’t believe you don’t even trust your _own_ son!”

Seokjin moves down the stairs and stood right in front of him, towering over the prince’s figure, anger evident on his handsome face. Yeonjun glared up at his father, not backing down, feeling his heart pound loudly against his ribs as his breath gets heavier.

“It’s all for your safety, Yeonjun. The more you don’t know, the safer you are. Do not drag Namjoon into this, he’s got nothing to do with it. Do you understand me?” Seokjin’s voice was laced with authority, but Yeonjun was _so_ done with just following.

“It’s not for _my_ safety. It’s for _yours_.” He gritted, “You are too _coward_ to fight for him. You’re the king but you bow down to some stupid Counc-“ Yeonjun was cut off when a hand crashed on his left cheek. The contact rang echoes across the hallways and waves of pain crawled on his face.

“Seokjin, what the hell?” A female voice said, dashing to the prince.

Seokjin ignored her, even as she stepped in front of Yeonjun as if blocking him from the king’s view, “I am the king, and I am your father. _You_ will listen to _me_. The Council is there for a reason, and until you get that in that thick head of yours, you will not be allowed to leave this palace unguarded at all times of the day. Understood?” Seokjin seethed, face red from anger as he fixed Yeonjun under his fiery gaze.

Yeonjun didn’t look at him, still looking to the side from where his father had slapped him. He slowly put his trembling hand on his aching cheek, tears welling from his eyes at the overwhelming amount of emotions he was feeling at that moment. He felt his mother’s soft hand caressing his back, soothing him, but that only made him feel worse.

“Do you understand, Yeonjun?” Seokjin pressed, still clearly angry.

The prince finally met the king’s gaze, tears finally flowing from his red-rimmed eyes. And without another word, he sprinted up the stairs, hastily wiping his eyes using the disguise. He didn’t get to see the king’s apologetic face when their eyes met, and the scolding look that the Queen gave her husband.

When Yeonjun reached his room, he immediately locked the door and slumped down against it, letting his tears fall freely down his already numb cheek. He wallowed in the heaviness of his heart from the endless arguments with his father. There was no use. How could he change the king’s mind? How could he make him see that all he wanted was a bit of freedom to explore himself and the world around him?

He thought of the people, waking up on ungodly hours just to make a living. He thought of the children, stealing food at a young age just to feed themselves. He thought of the people in that poor area, sleeping on mats at the side of the street or into rundown buildings. He thought of the pirates and the counter ladies at the pub, kissing each other without a care in the homophobic kingdom he calls theirs.

And that’s when he realized that he wanted a change.

He didn’t want to follow his father’s footsteps; being a puppet controlled by the old, nasty Council. He didn’t want to be a coward; hiding a relationship in fear of the same council’s judgments, when it shouldn’t matter in the first place. He didn’t want to just sit and watch their kingdom’s rich people getting richer and poor people becoming poorer.

He wanted change, and he could only do that when he’s King.

But he could only be king if he marries the princess.

Yeonjun groaned at the thought, remembering the engagement from yesterday; an engagement both him and Yeji didn’t want, but was forced into.

His tears have long dried out as he hugs his knees closer to his chest. Yeonjun ponders on what he could do to get out of this vague position he was stuck in, but his mind blanked out eventually, a result from waking up too early and for crying a bit too much. Eyes heavy, he dragged himself towards his huge bed and tucked himself in. But before he could fully drift into slumber, a voice echoed in his ears.

_”But if you want to change your fate . . .”_

In his dazed state, he made a decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know, this chap is kinda lame. but it's a necessary lame hhh
> 
> which pairing do you think this will be? :D


	2. Abducted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Who are you?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> age guide:  
> yeonjun - 22  
> soobin, beomgyu - 21  
> taehyun, hueningkai - 20
> 
> tw // implied rape/pedophilia  
> tw // blood, violence, death [ !!! partly graphic !!! ]
> 
> disclaimer: clearing it up that this is a work of FICTION. character relationships and portrayals are in NO way representing their real lives and are solely used for the purpose of the story.

Yeonjun woke up to soft knocks on his door. Groaning, he glanced at the clock mounted on the wall and found that it was already past noon. He assumed it was just one of the maids fetching him for lunch as he silently lay on his bed. He doesn’t want to bother eating at the time, appetite gone the moment he argued with his father. Soon enough, the knocking ceased, only to be replaced by a soft voice calling to him.

“Yeonjun, please open up.”

Eventually, he gave up moping. He pushed himself off the comforts of his bed and opened his door to his greet his mother.

“If you’re fetching me for lunch, mother, then I’m not going. I have no appetite.” He says dryly, wanting to just sleep the rest of the day away, or figure out the old man’s words.

“I know dear. I’m actually here to talk to you.” She said softly, “Won’t you invite me in?”

Yeonjun let out a sigh before opening the door wide and letting his mother come in. She glided in his room with practised ease and settled on her son’s bed, tapping the space beside her as a gesture for the prince to sit with her. Yeonjun, being the obedient son that he is (to his mother anyway), followed her. He never looked at her though, eyes settling on the mini-library in his room. He mentally prepares himself for the lecture, however.

“Thank you.”

His head turned to her so abruptly that for a second, she worried if he would snap his neck. Yeonjun looked surprised, eyes wide and forehead creased, clearly those words weren’t the ones he expected.

“I’m sure you’re wondering why.” Queen Byulyi had said, her son only nodded, “I want to thank you, for putting up with your father’s temper and stubborn nature. I know it’s a lot, and it’s really difficult at times, but I also want to let you know that he’s only like that because he doesn’t want to lose you. He cares about you a lot Yeonjun.” She explains softly.

“Well that’s a shitty way to show that he cares.” Yeonjun grumbled, earning a glare from the queen, “You can’t blame me mom. Father’s always been like that, it’s even worse these days. How do you even manage to be patient with him every single time?” He complains.

“You’re overreacting.” Byulyi frowned, “I’m patient with him because I _have_ to, Yeonjun. I know it’s hard to understand Seokjin at times . . . But you know what, let me tell you why he’s so protective of you.” Her words have piqued the prince’s attention and he intently listened, “Your father, when he was still a prince, had lost someone important to him, just because _they_ went out of the palace gates without their father knowing. Losing someone once was painful enough, but it happened _twice._ And Seokjin had blamed himself for both.” His mother’s eyes were watery as she spoke, and Yeonjun held her hand, squeezing and rubbing circles over her knuckles, “Which is why he keeps you in here. No matter how hard-headed and strict your father is, he wouldn’t be able to handle a third time.”

Yeonjun’s mind was then flooded with questions. _How did he lose them? Why does his mother look so affected with the loss when they weren’t even married at that time?_ But most importantly, _who were those people that his father lost for him to be like this?_

“I’m sorry but I’m not telling you who they are, Yeonjun. It’s for your own sake.” His mother had said, making him frown. “I only told you so that you’ll understand where he’s coming from.”

“Why does nobody trust me in this household?” Yeonjun mutters, dejected.

“We trust you dear. What we don’t trust is on the outside world.”

“I can handle myself. You just don’t let me.”

A few moments of silence went by before Byulyi sighs and intently looked at Yeonjun. She reached out and caressed her son’s cheek affectionately before saying, “I know you’re not like your father, Yeonjun. Whatever you want to do, I want you to know that I trust you, and that I have a lot of faith in you. I know you’ll be a great king someday.”

Those words rang something in his heart and he immediately engulfed his mother in a bone-crushing hug. Indirectly, he felt like she had given him permission to follow his desires and create his own fate.

And that’s exactly what he would do.

“So, what do you think of Yeji?” His mother had asked, a teasing grin on her face. Yeonjun groaned and palmed his face.

~

_“If this was truly a game,_

_I could probably just load up again_

_I guess I got to deal with it, deal with this real world_.”

“I never could’ve thought that you like to sing.”

Yeonjun looked up from his notebook and found the princess standing on the entrance of the gazebo, a basket of flowers in her hand. His hand hovered on the small tape recorder beside him before he turned it off, the music from it put to a halt.

When their eyes met, she smiled at him, “Mind if I join you with whatever you’re doing?”

Without the prince’s answer, Yeji made her way and sat comfortably on his other side. She dropped the basket beside their feet and peeked into what the prince was writing.

Yeonjun just let her, “My father likes to sing and write songs. I sing them mindlessly sometimes.” He handed her his notebook, “What’s the flowers for?”

“I was helping Your Majesty and Mistress Yongsun with some floral redecorations in the rooftop topiary. They are _so sweet_ , you know?” Yeji says dreamily. Yeonjun knew what she meant. “What’s this for anyway? ‘ _But if you want to change your fate’_? Sounds fishy. Is this the kind of stuff you’re into?”

Yeonjun snatched the notebook away from her after her teasing, “Yes, I like riddles. But I can’t quite figure this one out. I was hoping you would have an idea, but I guess you’re dumber than me.” He teased back, accompanied by a smirk.

“Hey!”

The prince bursted out laughing and the princess slapped his arm, rolling her eyes at him. She huffed and stood from the bench, grabbing her basket. She was trying hard to look offended but Yeonjun could see her suppressing a smile.

“Whatever, Yeonjun. Anyway, I’m going back now. They’re probably waiting for the new set of flowers.” Yeji smacked the back of the prince’s head before she proceeded to exit the small gazebo. When she turned back to Yeonjun, who was rubbing the place she hit, an amused smile graced on her face, “You can join us if you want. They want the topiary to be summer-themed! Maybe it could help you with your riddle or something.”

The princess had long since gone back in the castle when Yeonjun stopped scribbling in his notebook. He groaned loudly, turning off the soothing music from his tape recorder and letting the silence calm his throbbing mind. He looked at the gardens surrounding the gazebo; colorful flowers blooming on trimmed bushes, limestone walkways, and granite stone lamps lining every meter of the paths. Then he noticed the sky gradually coloring an orange hue, making him realize how much time he had already spent on a riddle that’s most likely a phony.

Sighing, he finally stood up, pocketing his tape recorder, and eventually deciding to join the ladies on their impromptu project.

When he reached the topiary, he was greeted by the sight of trimmed hedges shaped into humans enjoying the beach, decorated with poppies, roses, and chrysanthemums grafted on the branches. Lilac flowers littered the man-made sandy island below the hedges’ feet. It was impressive, Yeonjun mused as he walks on the grass to get to where the girls at, assisted by some maids and houseboys. The decors were almost real enough that it’ll be fun to pull a prank there at night.

Yeji noticed him first, “You got bored, didn’t you?”

Queen Byulyi and Mistress Yongsun looked at him then and ushered him to sit beside them. Yeonjun shrugged before sitting cross-legged on the ground, picking on the chrysanthemum petals. He soon followed what they were doing, which were not much since the activity was almost finished; digging holes into the sandy soil, planting a small shrub of lilacs, covering the hole up, and repeat. He had been doing this a lot since his childhood for his mother loves gardening, an influence from the Head Mistress. And by the time they were finished, the moon had already risen and the lamps were lighted up brightly.

As he waits for the others packing up, Yeonjun took another look at the writings in his notebook. The hope to change his fate slowly dissipating in his system the more he stared at the words. He knows he shouldn’t believe in what the old stranger had said, but somewhere in him, deep inside his soul, a certain feeling urges him to go and see. It was an _unexplainable_ feeling, and it irks him because now, all he wants is to find out what it is, to know the answer, to have some kind of key to change the _unchangeable_. He racked his brain for a few minutes more, the phrases almost mocking him, until they were called for supper downstairs. Yeonjun slumped his shoulders in defeat, he still had no idea.

Walking through the halls, he heard Yeji complaining to Jisu. “There are grains of sand in my shoes and it is so uncomfortable to walk.”

“Don’t worry Princess. You’ll only endure it for a couple more minutes.” Jisu consoled, “It would’ve been more uncomfortable if the sand was wet as it sticks in your feet.”

The princess giggled, “Ah! Now that you mentioned it, I kind of miss the sea. Maybe we could go there sometimes.”

Yeonjun stood frozen.

In the distant chatter, he had found the answer.

~

Yeonjun was sitting on the palace gate walls when he glanced back at the castle. The surroundings were dim except for a few lights in some rooms and lampposts. His heart was pounding loudly in his chest and his breathing was heavy as his eyes scan the exterior of what he calls home. Then he looks out at the other side of the gates, which were the outskirts of their kingdom and the entrance to a forest.

It was now or never.

Yeonjun fixed the cloth over his head, making sure to cover his black strands and his lower face.

He just needed to see the old man and ask how to change his fate. That’s it.

He just needed to jump down the wall and his life could change forever. He would be back before anyone even knew it.

Or if it’s a hoax, then at least he tried. He could just stare at the stars until the sun shines.

Feet hanging on the ledge, he prevented himself from looking back again in fear that the hesitation would overpower his desire. Then he took a deep breath.

Then he jumped. And then he ran.

It never occurred to him that it was his last chance to look back.

~

_Where the grains of sand meet the salt water._

Yeonjun ran and ran until he arrived at the beach. Panting, he looked around but there were no signs of people. Of course there wouldn’t be, it was midnight near the sea. Everyone knew how dangerous it was out there for there are pirates roaming about. But Yeonjun didn’t care. So without another second to spare, he marched along the shores in search for the old man he met at the pub. His eyes darted left and right, looked to his front and back, across the sand and out to sea; but the old man was nowhere to be found.

Eventually, he slumped on the sand out of exhaustion. He looked over to the quiet sea, the waves gently brushing on the shoreline; then to the sky, a blanket of black canvas with the stars shining _so_ bright it’s almost as if it were the only source of light.

He perked up at the sudden realization. And he slowly turned around, finding no signs of their kingdom. He had gone too far from the civilized area.

_This is bad._

As if on cue, someone grabbed him by the arm and started pulling on him frantically.

“What took you so long?” was the first thing the old man said. His voice seemed ragged, like he had been running around for awhile now.

“What took _me_ so long? You could’ve just said ‘meet me at the beach’ like a normal person, instead of that fucked up riddle!” Yeonjun retorted, panic starting to rise in his system at the old man’s antics. “Where have you been anyway? I’m starting to think you’re a fraud.”

The old man didn’t answer him and instead, he pulled the prince to some rundown shack nearby and pushed him to sit down inside. The stranger then peeked out, glancing side to side as if he’s hiding from someone. Yeonjun only watched him in fear, dread starting to claw in his guts.

“Who- who are you hiding from?” He stammered, “What’s going on?”

The other didn’t answer and instead, he looked up to the sky and muttered something under his breath.

“Are you praying? I demand you tell me what’s happening right now.” Yeonjun said, trying to sound authoritative despite his shaky tone.

Finally, the old man looked at him with a serious expression on his face, “I’ll answer _all_ of your questions later, Your Highness. But right now, you have to listen to me.” He moved to sit in front of the prince and placed both of his wrinkled hands on his shoulders, giving it a firm squeeze, “Whatever happens, you’d have to _trust me_. Do not disobey _them_ , do not talk back to _them_ , and most importantly, do not tell them _who you are._ I’m going to protect you with all that I am, so please do me that favor and not panic.”

That didn’t assure Yeonjun, however, for his eyes only widen and he started to shake, “W-What- Who’re you-“

The sound of boots scraping against sand made him stop talking. From where he sat inside the shack, he could make out several silhouettes of men, yelling animatedly about a ship and a treasure.

Before the prince could even comprehend anything, the old man pulled him to his feet and forcefully twisted Yeonjun’s arm behind his back, making him yelp in pained surprise but was instantly shut up when he felt a dagger digging on his side.

“W-What are you doin-“

“Shut up little prince, and start putting up your act.” The old man hissed in his ear, making shivers run down his spine. The stranger tugged at him harshly and kicked the door open. And he finally saw what the commotion was about.

“Found this lassie sneaking around here.” The old man said, a smug look on his face as he held onto Yeonjun tighter. He removed the cloth off of the prince’s head and dropped it to the ground without a care. Then he shoved the prince forward, making him topple on the sand.

Yeonjun winced before he looked up and was met with snickers and dirty looks, all from old, bulky pirates. His heart tripled its beat as he recognizes the faces from the pub earlier that morning. He started backing away, lips quivering, and he felt like he would pass out. His eyes darted to every pirate in front of him, catching sight of the sharp blades hanging from the men’s waists. He thought that if he would break into a run, it was most unlikely for him to survive, no matter how fast he went. So he froze there, scared out of his wits, and praying to every star in the sky that he would make the right choice of trusting the old man he barely met.

One of the pirates forcefully pulled the prince up by his shirt collar and sniffed his neck. “Mm quite a beauty you got here.”

“Get the fuck off me!” Yeonjun growled, pushing the pirate away. The old man immediately wrapped his arm around Yeonjun’s waist possessively that Yeonjun visibly flinched.

“I told you to shut up.” The old man whispered in his ear, low and warning. Yeonjun swallowed the lump in his throat.

“My, he’s a fighter, ain’t he?” The pirate mused, smirking.

“And a pretty face too. Say Kwonjae, if you’re done with him, hand him over to me.” Another said, licking his lips as he eyes Yeonjun dirtily. Yeonjun grimaced.

“Shut the fuck up Gibson. This bitch is mine, and mine alone. Fuck off and find your own toy.” The old man, whose name Yeonjun found out was Kwonjae, declared, before he licked a trail up the prince’s neck to his ear. Yeonjun felt disgusted.

In between their insignificant chatters, the pirates had boarded on two small boats, Kwonjae pulling Yeonjun along with him in one. At this, the poor boy started protesting, struggling against the man’s grip but Kwonjae was firm despite his old age, effectively tugging the prince (with the use of threats, of course). Yeonjun was on the brim of tears as he glances back at the shore, getting farther by the minute.

As the pirates row the boat towards their ship, Yeonjun was able to see the castle he grew up in sitting high on the small hill, the people there having no idea where he is and where he would be taken. _Will they be worried?_ Yeonjun knew they would, and that thought alone scares him. He had to find his answers from Kwonjae as soon as possible, and then he would find a way to get back, one way or another.

He had soon to find out that his tape recorder was no longer in his pocket.

~

Kwonjae entered the cell where Yeonjun was put, a tray of food in his hands. The prince was glaring at him from the moment the pirate stepped into the brig, arms wrapped around his folded knees as he sat in the corner.

“Here’s some food. You should eat; the sun’s about to rise.” Kwonjae said, putting the tray down on the floor.

Yeonjun only looked at him with an eyebrow raised, sending a silent question to the old man. Kwonjae was quick to sense what the prince was asking and he let out a sigh of defeat.

“I’m sorry for uh . . . disrespecting you? I only did it so those motherfuckers won’t mess with you so don’t get me wrong.” Kwonjae said, trying to read Yeonjun’s blank expression.

Yeonjun narrowed his eyes at him, “Why are you concerned? I know that you know who I am, but you’re a pirate. Why would you care if something happen to me?”

“Not all pirates are bad.” Kwonjae said.

“But are you good?” Yeonjun retorted, “Does a good pirate kidnap people?”

The old pirate went silent at the question, and Yeonjun could see the flicker of hesitation in his eyes. He knows something, but _what?_ What was the old man hiding? Why would the old man bring him here?

The silence that enveloped them causes for annoyance to fill the prince’s system, a hurricane of emotions overwhelming him. He was confused, tired, lost, but most of all, he was scared; he was scared that whatever he’s trying to chase was so far out of his reach, that in his blindness to accept his own destiny, he would get lost searching for his ideal. And he didn’t like feeling scared. All his life he was secured, stuck in the four corners of the palace walls. The only thing that scared him back then was not being able to go out on his own freedom, but now that he’s out here, in the middle of the sea, he was scared of not being able to go back home.

He was stuck on whether to explore and find the happiness he craved for, or to just settle with the security and predetermined future he despised.

“My father is going to look for me. And you’re going to be a wanted man for kidnapping me, unless you tell me _why_.” Yeonjun threatened, trying to sound tough.

The pirate look unaffected, however, as he only looked the prince with a cold expression on his face, his eyes firm. “The same reason you went out to meet me.” Yeonjun was taken aback at the pirate’s words, “The reason you climbed and jumped over that wall, the reason you ran all the way to the beach, the reason you disobeyed your own father.” Kwonjae smiled smugly.

_To change my fate._

“But I never asked for you abduct me.” Yeonjun retorted, shoving his nervousness down his throat.

“Aye. But you asked for a change.”

Yeonjun froze.

“Wait.” Yeonjun said, collecting his thoughts, “Now that I think about it . . . how did you know that?” Yeonjun looked at the old man warily, “How did you know I want to change my fate?” Kwonjae just smiled at him mysteriously, before he left, locking the cell door behind him and leaving Yeonjun with too many unanswered questions.

Yeonjun just watched him go, too preoccupied with his thoughts to even bother. His eyes darted around the brig, but he seemed to be the only person there. He felt the constant rocking of the ship as it hit the waves, making his stomach heavy. Then he stared at the food on the tray and he felt his stomach grumble, but he didn’t have the appetite to eat (who knows what the concupiscent pirates put in there anyway). So he sat there, gripping on his black locks tightly as he tries to calm his raging mind and erratic heart, fighting off the hunger and nausea.

_Calm the fuck down Yeonjun._

He felt himself growing dizzier, his lungs constricting on air. He frantically pats on his pockets, searching for the music device that soothes his system, but his pockets are empty save for a piece of paper he ripped from his notebook. At this, Yeonjun let himself broke down and quietly sobbed as he curled into a ball right on the corner of his cell, praying to any star in the sky to lead him back home.

Even one star would hear him, _right?_

~

Back in the kingdom, the butlers are busy searching every nook and cranny of the huge palace, maids darting from one room to another, houseboys roaming about the huge gardens and topiaries and greenhouses, guards looking around the small forest and outside the palace walls, and even the citizens were in search along the alleys, old buildings, landmarks, markets, and docks. But the young prince was still not found.

King Seokjin was sitting on Yeonjun's bed, hunched over in devastation brought by the news of his missing son. They were just about to eat their lunch, and he had asked for a maid to fetch the prince. Several minutes went by and there was a growing dread in the pits of the king's stomach, not because of hunger, but of something else that he can't pinpoint what. And when the maid returned to the dining hall, informing that she couldn't find the prince, he found the source of the feeling. He immediately called all their helpers to find the prince, thinking that maybe he was just in the library, or in the indoor pools, or in one of the gazebos where Yeonjun usually hung out, assuming that he just didn't notice the time. But each place was deserted.

He grew panicked, the suppressed memories of the people he lost outside the gates once again resurfacing as he ordered for a search within their kingdom. It was just a small island; surely the prince would be found somewhere along the busy streets, or strolling along the flower fields. The guards even looked inside abandoned buildings on the outskirts of town, brushing past alleyways where poor people slept. Yet in every corner they turn and house they've entered, there was no Yeonjun found.

Seokjin felt a hand rubbing his back soothingly and he turned to see his Queen, who smiled at him reassuringly. He managed to smile back albeit forced, tears streaming down his handsome face. Byulyi reached out and wiped his tears with her handkerchief.

"I don't know what I'd do if I lose him, Byulyi." Seokjin sobbed, "I'd never forgive myself if something happens-"

"Ssh. It's not your fault." Byulyi comforted, "We'll find him, hm? Yeonjun is smart, he'll be fine."

"You don't know that. You, of all people, know how dangerous it is out there!" Seokjin snaps, broad shoulders violently shaking.

"And you know that we can't keep Yeonjun in here forever. Someday, he would still go out and explore." Byulyi says, trying her best to calm down her frustrated best friend, "Someday, he will know the _truth_. And it will be up to him to decide what he wants to do." Byulyi cupped Seokjin's cheeks and looked at him straight in the eyes, "We just have to trust him, okay?"

Seokjin just let her hold him as he tries to collect his thoughts. He knows that she's right, that Yeonjun could manage for himself, that the prince was so much stronger and smarter than him in so many ways. But his fear always gets the best of him. Most of the time, he stand firm, not letting his emotions take over his rationality, but at times like this, especially since it involves Yeonjun, he couldn't help but let himself break while his best friend holds him together. He was always grateful for Byulyi for everything she did for him. Even with how selfish those favors were.

A knock on the door interrupted their silence, and the two pulled away, just in time to see Namjoon and Yongsun enter the room, followed by Yeji and Jisu. Yongsun went to the Queen's side and reached a hand on the king's shoulder, a small gesture for comfort. Seokjin gives her a small smile. They all turned to Namjoon, who has something on his hands.

"Some fishermen found this near the farthest side of the beach." Namjoon said, handing the items to the King. "No one goes to that area that much because there have been reports of pirate sightings there since three years ago. Can you confirm that this _doesn't_ belong to Yeonjun?"

Seokjin eyes the items in his hands, his heart sinking with the same fear from almost twenty-two years ago. He visibly paled as he recognizes the items; the cloth he had seen in his son's hands when he caught him sneaking out and the tape recorder with his own songs that he gave his son on one of his birthdays, marked with his initials _YJ_.

"This is Yeonjun's." Seokjin breathed out, turning the device over and over again, "Were there any sightings of pirates recently?" He asked, despite wishing for the better possible answer, he prepared himself to hear the worse.

Namjoon's face went grim, "Yes. In fact, some men that went fishing overnight saw a pirate ship coming from there, headed south."

At the news, Seokjin rested his head on his palms, groaning in frustration.

"Fuck no . . ." He mumbled, "Did they see whose flag it carries?"

"They assumed it was freelance pirates; only had the Jolly Roger." Namjoon answered, Seokjin always admired his competency, "They don't adhere to any Cardinals, and even with their Priestess. They're the most dangerous kinds of pirates."

The room went quiet as Seokjin stares at the tape recorder in his hand, examining every bit of it and how the prince had made the device clearly his, his unique individuality jumping out from the little scribbles. There's a feeling growing in his chest that he can't quite describe yet. Then he looked out the window. With the sky gradually becoming darker, he saw a star that twinkled in his direction, as if informing him to trust it. A sense of familiarity came over him, that out in the sea, there was someone he could trust to bring his son back home. _Someone he once knew_.

Maybe it was the universe's way of telling him that they needed this space from each other.

Maybe it was the universe's way of telling him to trust his son.

"Do we go after them?" Namjoon asked.

Seokjin takes a deep breath, finalizing his decision. "No. I trust Yeonjun. He will come back home." He looks out the open balcony overlooking the sea, "I know he will."

Namjoon gave him a proud and understanding smile, before turning on his heels and leaving to do his duties. Yongsun side-hugged Byulyi and rubbed her Queen's shoulders, while Byulyi caresses Seokjin's back, muttering words of assurance. Byulyi then looked at the quiet princess in the room, looking out to the sea with her lady royal tracing circles on her waist. Yeji’s face was a mixture of concern and hopefulness, and she could understand why.

_"Yeji's an amazing girl. She's . . . different from everyone else." Yeonjun had answered her question, "But I don't want to marry her. I don't want to be the cause of her heartache."_

_"Are you saying this because you don't want to hurt her? Or because you like her?" Byulyi pressed._

_"I . . . I don't like her that way. She's a great friend. And she's like you, mom." Yeonjun paused, laying down on his bed as he stared at the ceiling, "She's caring, she has a calming vibe to her, and she's comfortable to be with. She has everything I could ask for."_

_"What seems to be the problem then?" Byulyi asked, gazing down at her son._

_Yeonjun didn't say anything for awhile, as if he was hesitating. But Byulyi only smiled at him gently, silently saying to confide in her with anything._

_"No offense mom, but I didn't want me and Yeji to end up like you and dad." Yeonjun said meaningfully, before letting out a soft chuckle. Byulyi understood the sentiment wholeheartedly, and she laughed along her son, ruffling his hair in the process._

_"Oh, I really hope you wouldn't." Byulyi joked._

_Yeonjun laughed, "That's why I'd do anything in my power to help her, to help us."_

Byulyi gazed out into the horizon at the memory of her last conversation with the prince, _I just hope you know what you're doing, Yeonjun._

~

Apparently, Yeonjun didn’t know what he was doing. He fell asleep due to motion sickness from the constant rocking of the boat, he refused to eat another set of food brought by Kwonjae for what he assumed was lunch, and now, he’s staring at a skull on the opposite cell from his, wondering if he would end up just like that because of his stubbornness.

When Kwonjae came back earlier, he had asked him multiple times on how the old man knew what he wanted. When the pirate didn’t budge, he began asking how he could change his fate, what he needed to do, but Yeonjun didn’t get any answer. So he sat there, nauseous and hungry as he hums his father’s song with hazy and unfocused eyes.

Just as he finished humming, he felt the ship stop to a halt, bringing him back to his senses. Then he heard hurried footsteps from above him. Yeonjun stood up in alarm and held on the cell bars, trying to see the brig’s door to get a glimpse of what was happening.

Then came an eerie silence. Yeonjun held his breath, his heart hammering in his chest.

Then a deafening boom of a cannon pierce through.

Yeonjun gasped as the cannonball hit the ship, sending it swaying off-balance. His ears were ringing but he can faintly hear screams from the deck above as he held on tightly on the bars, screaming for help while another booming sound went off. Panic rising in his chest, he yelled louder and the brig’s door flew open and Kwonjae ran to him, a cutlass sword in his hand.

“Damn it! How did _he_ get here so fast!” Kwonjae cursed under his breath, Yeonjun heard him nonetheless.

“Who? Who got here?” Yeonjun asked, frantic as he hears more screams of pirates.

The old man stood outside the cell in front of the prince, “I will give you another riddle and you’d have to remember it, no questions asked;

_Locked doors need to be opened_

_And a sacrifice had to be made_

_First sign of the quest_

_Is in the southern queen city.”_

Yeonjun creased his forehead, his confusion only growing, “What has the riddles got to do with me?”

Another loud boom echoed through the ship and the prince could faintly hear the clashing of metal.

“Listen carefully, Your Highness.” Kwonjae said, ignoring the question again, “You’ll find _your_ answers soon, and it will come in the most unexpected way. You will know it is the answer because you will feel it deep _within your soul_.”

Yeonjun watched the pirate reach for something underneath his collar, then removing it overhead. He handed it to the prince and the latter hesitantly took it with shaking hands. It was a necklace made from thin strips of leather, with a skeleton figure of a star hanging as a pendant.

“Wear this so that _they_ would keep you safe.” Kwonjae said as he steps back to the brig’s entrance. Yeonjun did as he was told.

“Wait! _Who_? How would I know who they are! And can’t you get me out of here!” Yeonjun screamed continuously.

The ship rocked once again and sounds of wood splinting were heard.

“Stay safe, Yeonjun.” Kwonjae said meaningfully before he bolted out the door and left Yeonjun yelling.

Yeonjun slammed his fist on the bars out of frustration, his head whirling with confusion, panic, and anger. He didn’t know what to do as the cell was locked, until he caught sight of water slowly flowing from the door. Yeonjun’s eyes widen in horror. Feeling the slow sinking of the ship, he yelled on top of his lungs.

“Help! Help me!”

A few seconds and screams later, sounds of footsteps were heard and the door opened, revealing a full-masked boy with wavy brown hair, carrying a bloodied sword in his right hand. The boy walked to his cell and eyed the prince from head to toe suspiciously. Then his eyes landed on Yeonjun’s collar where the necklace resided.

“Who are you?” The boy asks, still staring at the necklace.

Yeonjun swallowed the lump in his throat and his hand instinctively moved to the pendant on his neck, “I- I’m Yeonjun.” He answered. Then he remembered the old man’s words of not telling anyone his name, and he mentally scolds himself for that.

“Where did you get the necklace?”

_But then if he knows about the necklace, then maybe they’re the ones to keep me safe._

“Kwonjae gave it to me.” He said honestly, watching the young pirate’s reaction.

The boy was taken aback, eyes widening a fraction underneath the mask. Then he nodded and looked around the brig, before walking towards a pillar and grabbing the keys off a hook. He quickly unlocked Yeonjun’s cell and pulled the prince out by his elbow.

“Now, listen to me. Our Captain doesn’t like prisoners right now. So you’d have to behave.” He warned, Yeonjun only nodded mindlessly as the pirate tugged on his arm harshly and pulled him outside.

Yeonjun almost stumbled on his feet as they ran to the deck, and once they arrived, he froze on the spot. He felt like his knees start to weaken and his stomach twisting uncomfortably as he takes in the sight of the once loud and obnoxious pirates, now bloodied and dead on the wooden floors. He could see that horny pirate Gibson with a huge wound over his stomach and he almost retched. The ship was wrecked into splinters, its main mast rooted and overturned, and sails on fire. Amidst the chaos, the prince could still see two figures sword-fighting near the middle of the deck.

“Kai! Get your ass back here now!” He heard someone yell.

Turning to the direction of the voice, Yeonjun saw a black ship beside the one he stood on. Unlike this one, the black ship is completely intact and in one piece, with dozens of pirates on the deck waiting for the boy who got him out the brig, which he found out the name was Kai.

Kai pulled Yeonjun over the wooden planks situated in between the ships. His feet wobbling over as he looks down at the huge waves of the sea. Then with another pull from the pirate, he crashed on the wooden floor of the black ship’s deck.

“Captain, everyone’s here!” Kai shouted to the other side. Yeonjun looked over from the floor and instantly regretted it.

At the confirmation, the Captain nodded and flicked his free hand up, making the flames go wilder as it swallowed the whole ship. His opponent got distracted by the fire and the Captain slashed the other’s head off with a quick whip of his sword, before he kicked the limp body to the floor. He ran to the planks just as the ship moved and jumped on the deck as the pirates cheered.

“What the hell were you still doing inside the ship! We already got the loot.” A taller boy scolded Kai as he took off his own mask. Yeonjun’s mouth fell agape at the sight of someone younger than him. His hair was colored gray, there’s a small fresh cut on his right cheek, perfect Cupid’s bow lips, and cute button nose.

Kai didn’t have the time to answer when a deep voice cut through the air.

“Kai, would you mind explaining what _that_ is? I remember saying that I don’t want prisoners.” The Captain said. Yeonjun looked at him with wide eyes, suddenly terrified for his life.

“Yeah well, about that . . . “ Kai said, scratching his nape as he took his mask off. Yeonjun almost gagged seeing that Kai was so much younger than him. He has such foreign features that make him look a bit more ethereal than the rest. He could’ve sworn that Kai looks like an angel if not for the black clothes and bloodied sword hanging on his waist.

“Cut the crap already.”

Yeonjun stared at the Captain as the latter walked towards him. _He looks familiar._

“I found him in the brig. Would’ve left him there if only he wasn’t wearing that necklace.” Kai said.

The Captain shoots Kai a confused look before he stared down at the boy in front of him. At the proximity, Yeonjun realized who he was.

_The Burning Tiger._

Yeonjun visibly tensed at the recognition. Yet he could only watch as the other crouched in front of him and reached for the necklace on his neck, eyeing it intently before he looked at his face, an intense look in his eyes. Yeonjun was intimidated and scared but also, _mesmerized_. The Captain had such beautiful eyes, like all the stars in the sky were carefully placed within his irises. It was nothing compared to the parchment he saw at the pub.

“Where did you get this?” He asked, voice cold enough to send shivers down his spine.

“K-Kwonjae gave it to me.” Yeonjun managed to answer.

The Captain raised an eyebrow at his response, “That old man gave this . . . to you?” He asked again, eyeing Yeonjun up and down.

Yeonjun thought that the Captain was checking him out before he buried that idea.

“What’s your name?” He asked further.

The prince was about to speak when a voice cut him off.

“His name is Yeonjun. Jeju Island’s crown prince.” A red-haired boy said. Yeonjun had enough of the surprises when he saw the guy on the missing poster, lost three years ago but here he was, alive and standing in front of him, now three years older. He still had the same prominent nose and huge eyes that were glaring at him.

“A prince?” The Captain scoffed, “But you’re not really my type.” At his words, his crew bursted into laughter before dispersing to move on with their own works. Yeonjun flushed red at the remark, a wave of anger coursing through his veins and he glared at the pirate.

“What else did that old man told you?” He said, unfazed by the sharp look the prince gave him.

Yeonjun thinks this was the perfect opportunity to bargain. He would give them the information they want and they should bring him back to Jeju. So with that plan in mind . . .

“I’ll tell you on one condition.”

The Captain seemed surprised at the conviction in Yeonjun’s voice. He turned towards his three crew still standing near them before his eyes landed on him again.

With an eyebrow raised, he asked, “And what would that be, princess?”

Yeonjun clenched his jaw at the pet name, but he chose to ignore it, “I’ll tell you the riddle, and you would take me home.”

“That’s it?”

“ _Promise_ you would take me home.” Yeonjun pressed.

The Captain stood up and raised an arm, “I promise.”

Yeonjun looked at him suspiciously, then on the three young pirates behind him, all sharing an amused expression. His eyes met the captain’s again and he felt like he was being pulled in. Somewhere inside him telling to trust the pirate.

“Okay.” Yeonjun took a deep breath, “ _Locked doors need to be opened, and a sacrifice had to be made; first sign of the quest is in the southern queen city_.”

The pirate captain’s eyes widened and sparkled with understanding. “ _He found it._ ” He turned to his crew who had the same expressions on their faces, “He found it! Taehyun, set the course for southwest. Soobin, command the crew. Kai, check for damages,” He briefly glanced at the prince, “And he’s under your responsibility. I don’t want him ruining our routines.”

The three pirates immediately moved on their feet, “Get this ship sailing, you lazy motherfuckers!” Soobin screamed and the rest of the crew moved with practised ease.

Kai moved towards Yeonjun and pulled him up on his feet, then the prince saw the captain about to walk away when he called to him.

“What about me?”

The Captain turned to him and removed the mask on his lower face, fully revealing a boyishly handsome face, a piercing on his pointed nose, and full lips smirking. He brushed some of his black locks away from his eyes, before he grabbed a mop from a side of the deck.

“Here. Now chop-chop, I want my vessel shipshape or else I’ll have you as shark bait.” He handed the mop to Yeonjun, the latter didn’t grab it.

“But I’m a prince! You made me a promise!” Yeonjun seethed, gritting his teeth.

“Well then, _Your Highness_ , clean thy ship or I throw thee to sea.” He pushed the mop forcefully that the prince held onto it. “And I’m a pirate, angel. I don’t do promises.” He winked before leaving.

Yeonjun hated how his stomach fluttered with butterflies.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ah yes, this is a beomjun fic as updated with the tags :D


	3. Sacred Emblems

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What just happened?"

The prince slumped on the side of deck after what seemed to be hours of cleaning (which were actually just a few minutes). He feels dizzy as the ship started sailing again, fighting against the currents of the sea; and the grumbling of his stomach doesn't help as he hadn't eaten since yesternight. Kai seemed to have noticed his dismay for the pirate moved from his sitting position atop some crates, and sat cross-legged in front of him.

"Are you okay?" He asked softly. By the way Kai looked right now, Yeonjun wouldn't ever thought that the younger would be able to kill pirates that are older and bigger than both of them. But he could, and that's why Yeonjun was tensed.

"Y-yeah. Just a little d-dizzy." He stuttered. Yeonjun internally smacked himself for how weak he sounded.

"Seasick, huh? I should call Taehyun to fix that then." Kai said. He eyed the prince carefully, noticing his stiffness and slight trembling, before letting out a sigh. "Are you scared of me?"

Yeonjun gulped, "W-why wouldn't I? You're young and you've k-killed all those pirates back there without even blinking."

Kai scratched his nape, seemingly shy, "That makes sense. But you'd have to understand the difference between good pirates and bad pirates. Those pirates you were with? They're bad ones. I'm actually surprised you were unscathed in there, considering how pretty you are."

A light blush made its way to Yeonjun's cheeks at the compliment. He wasn't used to boys around his age complimenting him like that, which makes sense since he hadn't met many boys at all. Kai smiled after noticing the pink on the prince's face. Yeonjun melted at the sight of his smile, his fear slowly dissipating.

"I'm sorry for making you scared. It was a shitty first impression." The pirate said, chuckling as he reached out his hand. "I'm Hueningkai, by the way. The others call me Hyuka, Kai, or Ningning. You can call me whatever way you like, I don't mind."

Yeonjun accepted the hand, feeling a bit lighter in his chest. _Are pirates able to be this nice?_ He mentally shook his head. _Maybe this is just a front_. Yeonjun remains on alert despite the growing fondness for the younger.

He was about to speak when his stomach grumbled loudly, making the boy in front of him surprised. There was a sudden pause between them before Hueningkai bursted out laughing, high-pitched and full of joy, catching Yeonjun off-guard.

"That was the loudest stomach grumble I have _ever_ heard. And I live with pirates!" Kai said, gleeful. Yeonjun let out a shy chuckle. "Come on, let's go the galley. I'm sure Ryujin already prepared something."

Hueningkai stood up and offered him a hand, which Yeonjun took with a grateful smile. The pirate guided him through a door near the rear of the deck, which the prince took note as the galley, where a lot of the other pirates were already situated, eating on their foods while sharing loud conversations and boisterous laughters, as if they hadn't done a single crime in their lives. Kai pulled the prince to a buffet table where different kinds of food were in place, and Yeonjun's mouth instantly watered at the visuals of the dishes.

Yeonjun stared at the food with an uneasy expression on his face. _These are pirates. Should I really trust them?_ He unconsciously rubbed on his tummy.

Kai saw Yeonjun's expression and he placed his hand on his shoulder, beaming at him, "Relax, Your Highness. It isn't poisoned. Or else everyone here would've been rushing to the lavatory."

Yeonjun flushed in embarrassment before he proceeded to grab some food. Kai looked at him again and laughed, reaching for the serving spoons and putting more food on the prince's plate, teasing that the prince is being too modest when there's too much food prepared. When Yeonjun was done, Kai pulled him to a table where three others sat. Yeonjun stood stiffly on the side for a good few seconds before Kai forcefully pulled him down to sit beside him.

The prince looked around the room, and he could make out the pirates’ ages ranging from early-twenties to mid-forties. It was still a surprise for him how these young pirates were able to defeat old and obviously more experienced ones. Although it would be inevitable, he didn't want to be associated with these pirates' crimes. He looked over to the ones near his company, sharing random conversations Yeonjun didn't think pirates would have. They were sitting in a rectangular table; Yeonjun was in one corner, Kai was beside him, the gray-haired (whose name he supposed was Soobin) on the other side, the red-haired across Soobin, and the Captain across Kai. His eyes lingered for a second longer on the pirate captain, subtly adoring the other's features when Kai elbowed him, saying that he should start eating.

Yeonjun was eating quietly (admitting that the food was really delicious), when the Captain had suddenly addressed him on a question.

"Say, princess. How did you know Kwonjae?" His voice wasn't cold but it holds so much authority, like he was demanding for an answer (or was it just Yeonjun?). The prince almost choked on his food.

Looking at them, he could see Taehyun raising an eyebrow at him, Soobin and Hueningkai gazing at him expectantly, and the Captain's eyes filled with curiosity. Yeonjun feels like he was being pulled in again.

"He kidnapped me . . . " Yeonjun whispered, but the other four heard him clearly.

The Captain frowned at his answer, "You're of royalty, right?" He asked, Yeonjun nodded mindlessly, "It just doesn't make sense. How would an old man manage to kidnap you? Wouldn't you be heavily guarded? Unless . . . " The raven-haired captain narrowed his eyes at him as he leans forward on the table, arms resting on the wood, "You were outside, alone. Why?"

Yeonjun swallowed the lump in his throat, "Why what?"

"Why were you outside? Why would you know Kwonjae?" The Captain pressed, staring deep into the Prince's eyes. Yeonjun's breath hitched. There's a feeling growing in his chest again.

Yeonjun didn't know what to answer. No, he _knows_ the answer. It just seems like a stupid answer and he didn't want to look any dumber in front of them. So he chose to stay quiet. He munched on his remaining food, noting that the Captain's gaze never left him on his peripheral. He felt his face heating up at the attention, his stomach filling with butterflies and-

Something else.

The prince covered his mouth and puffed his cheeks as he prevented himself to retch. Kai was quick on his feet to run and grab a bucket near the buffet table. The others on their table had their eyes wide in shock and the rest of the pirates stopped talking and looked at him in surprise. Kai handed the bucket to Yeonjun and the latter immediately vomit some of the food he just ate, the former rubbing his back. A few more gags and he finished. When he looked back up, Soobin was offering him a towel, which he gladly took and used to wipe his mouth.

"He's seasick. Taehyun can you help him?" Hueningkai said.

Taehyun crossed his arms in front of his chest, "Why would I?"

"He clearly needs it. It's obvious he hadn't been on a boat before." Soobin said.

"Not my fault he spent so much time on _that_ island." Taehyun retorted, rolling his eyes.

"Taehyun." The Captain had said, fixing the said boy with a glare.

The red-haired incredulously stared at his captain before he huffed, "Fine."

Taehyun stood and stomped his way in front of the prince. He was reaching for Yeonjun's face when the latter was leaning back in alarm to avoid his hands. Taehyun was visibly pissed and he dropped his hands to his sides.

"Don't get any wrong ideas, dumbass. You're not my fucking type." He hissed, before reaching to grab Yeonjun's face again, this time a bit harsher.

Yeonjun instantly stiffened when he felt Taehyun's hands on both sides of his temple. He watched as Taehyun closed his eyes and creased his forehead in concentration. Then he felt coldness emanating from the other's hands, and it ran throughout his body. His stomach suddenly felt lighter, his headache disappearing, and he feels a little stronger than before. He looked at Taehyun with wide eyes, scanning from his small face to his firm arms, and he caught sight of a small tattoo on his right forearm before the red-haired pulled away.

"You owe me one." He gritted before storming out of the room. The chatter continued.

The Captain sighs heavily as he push himself up, “Sorry. He’s not usually like that. I’ll just talk to you tomorrow.”

Yeonjun only watched dumbfounded as the Captain followed Taehyun, his heart sinking for unknown reasons. He didn't actually think that the Captain could be . . . apologetic, and it's even not for his own actions. He was still staring at the door where he pirate left when he felt a nudge on his side. And he turned to see Hueningkai's concerned face, with Soobin behind him.

"How are you feeling?" The younger asked.

"I- I feel good actually." He answered, recalling Taehyun's action, "But what just happened? What did he do?" He asked, confusion evident in his tone.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. For now, let's get some rest." Kai said, standing up. Yeonjun briefly wondered if pirates have a habit of brushing away questions as he watched him move away, until his trance was broken when the younger called for him from the door.

Kai ushered for the prince to follow him to the bunks downstairs, walking ahead with Soobin. When Yeonjun noticed the two pirates holding each other's hands, he didn't ask a thing. Instead, he obeyed quietly like a lost sheep, the events from this day alone sending his mind into haywire until he was laying on soft sheets.

When Yeonjun woke up the next morning, he felt a lot better. He was really tired from the day before that he instantly fell asleep when his head hit the pillow of Kai’s bed, not even bothered by the loud snores of the older pirates around them. The bed was comfortable, to say the least, and was just enough for one person. It was definitely much better than the cold brig he slept in before, but he’s starting to miss the warmth of his own huge bed. Yeonjun proceeded to sit down on the mattress when he noticed that Soobin and Kai weren’t on the bunk next to him, recalling that the two pirates huddled their tall bodies in the small bed together. Cheeks heating up at the memory, he looked around, noticing most of the pirates weren’t in their bunks anymore. Just as he was about to stand up, the room’s two wooden doors flung open and revealed a smiling Hueningkai.

Their eyes met and the pirate’s smile grew wider, “Great, you’re up! Time for breakfast!” He skipped through the rows of bunks towards Yeonjun and pulled him up, linking his arm with the older’s as they walked upstairs to the galley.

They have settled down on the same table after filling their plates with food, with Yeonjun putting his shyness aside in favor to fill his stomach. He was able to eat properly now that he wasn’t feeling some motion sickness anymore, and he briefly considers approaching the red-haired to thank him, until he remembers Taehyun’s annoyed face. Yeonjun doesn’t understand why the younger despises him, considering that they are both from the same homeland. He was chewing on the egg omelet in his plate when he notices the lack of people on their table.

“Uh, where’re Taehyun and . . . the Captain?” He blurted out before he was able to stop himself.

Soobin stopped eating and gazed at him from across the table, “They’re setting the course for the next destination. They should be back by now.”

Yeonjun felt anxious at the knowledge that he’s getting farther from his home. “May I ask where we are headed?”

“The Island of Cebu, Philippines.” A voice answered, Yeonjun turned and saw the Captain, which was also looking at him before he sat across him on the table. “It’s where the riddle says to go.”

“How do you know that?” The prince asked. As far as he remembers, no place was mentioned in the riddle.

“ _First sign of the quest is in the southern queen city._ ” The Captain recited. “Cebu is referred to as the Queen City of the South. It’s the only possible answer to that part.”

“But what about the first half of the riddle? What does that mean?” Kai asked, munching on some bread.

“I’m not sure of it either. But our best bet is for us to go there and find out. We’ll get there in three days max.” The Captain paused before groaning, “It’ll be such a pain to navigate there. Fucking Philippines and its fucking islands.”

“Getting rusty already, Cap?” A bulky, old pirate teased, “Let me handle the wheel then.”

“Fuck off old man. You’ll end up removing the wheel.” Beomgyu bit back.

Soobin and Kai chuckled at the Captain’s complaints, even the others nearby was laughing and teasing their young captain. Yeonjun stilled on his seat and stared at the other’s face. At first sight, you wouldn’t have thought that such pretty looking boy is the captain of a deadly pirate crew, and has a bounty worth of tens of thousands of gold and gems for his head. The prince’s eyes wandered from the Captain’s black hair, to his pointed nose, to the lips curved into a pout, and back up to his sparkly orbs that Yeonjun is _so_ captivated with. His heart started pounding in his chest but his daydreaming is put to a halt when a plate was put on the table, accompanied by a voice that he’s starting to fear.

“Beomgyu, Jeongin and Seungmin are fighting again for the lookout duty.” Taehyun said, sitting down beside the Captain after handing him a plate of food.

_Beomgyu . . . So that’s his name._

The Captain rolled his eyes, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips. He looks over somewhere behind him and Yeonjun follows his gaze to a girl with short dark blue hair, sitting a few tables away with another girl with black hair fading into blonde halfway to its tips. The prince was surprised at the sight of a female in the ship as he didn’t find it ordinary to have girl pirates. But he held onto his curiosity as his eyes went back to the raven-haired again.

_Such a pretty name._

He mentally slapped himself at his thoughts.

“Ryujin! Can you break those idiots apart? And tell them you’re on the lookout today!” Beomgyu yelled.

“Aye, Cap!” Ryujin gave him a thumbs-up before she skipped out of the galley, the other girl following her.

Yeonjun remained quiet as the other four boys talk animatedly. Hueningkai, Soobin, and Beomgyu actively including him in their conversations and he would answer plainly, not too keen on giving them information about himself. The boys didn’t push him though, considerate enough to think that the other was just adjusting. Meanwhile, Taehyun was ignoring him the whole time, giving him subtle glares that the prince definitely notices. Observing them as they talk, he caught sight of the multiple piercings on their ears, wrists and fingers full of accessories, small tattoos on their arms, and dark yet questionably fashionable clothing. Yeonjun didn’t want to admit but he felt envious that the pirates can freely do anything with their bodies, while here he was, obligated to maintain himself _clean_ for their kingdom’s reputation. Even his _one pair_ of ear-piercing caused such huge controversies within the Council.

“I guess we have to get to work.” The young captain said, stretching his arms overhead, “Soobin, Hyunnie, we have to make a plan. Kai, why don’t you give our little prince here a tour and maybe an orientation or something, to get him familiarized.”

“Can’t we just stay a little longer? We have plenty of time.” Hueningkai whined, laying his upper body on the table.

“Soobin get your boyfriend to move or I’m toasting his lazy ass.” Beomgyu frowned.

“Let him be, Cap. He will give his Highness a tour once he feels like it.” Soobin answers, wrapping an arm around the Captain’s shoulders. “He’s just being shy but he’s actually excited. Kept bothering me the whole night about it.”

Hueningkai shoots him a glare, “You didn’t have to expose me like that.”

“It’s my job, what else do I have to do?” Soobin teased with a pucker of his lips.

“Be thankful you’re cute.” Kai grumbled.

“Okay whipped bitches, break it up. Let’s just get to planning already.” Taehyun said, standing up. Beomgyu followed suit, tired of his crew’s endless banters, and Taehyun immediately grabbed his hand and dragged him out of the galley, completely ignoring the Captain’s complaints on how the red-haired is rushing out.

Soobin shrugged at the action and pecked Kai’s head before leaving, not forgetting to wave at Yeonjun as he went for the door. Hueningkai slumped even more at the table and muttered how dramatic his friends are, while Yeonjun gnaws on his bottom lip, not entirely sure on what to feel with the whole situation he was in.

A few seconds of silence came by before the younger turned his head to face him, body still lying on the table.

“So, where do you want to start?”

~

Hueningkai had finished showing the prince around the ship, which has three floors: the main deck, lower deck, and storage. On the main deck, there are stairs leading up to the quarter deck, where the Captain's chamber is found, and above that is the sterncastle where the wheel is located. The room below the Captain's quarters is the galley. Below the main deck is the lower deck, where the bunks, infirmary, and armory are found. There's a hatch in the middle of it that leads to the bottommost floor, where the brig is located, as well as barrels and crates of food, cannonballs, and gunpowder. Yeonjun got to see approximately thirty people as the crew, including the others he had already met, and there were almost twenty prisoners in the spacious brig, ordered to wash some clothes and clean the ship.

Yeonjun also found out that the ship was called _The Sabers' Roar_. The pirate explained to him that the crew decided on that name because they are good at ambushing their prey, like Sabertooth Tigers (and also because they are loud as hell). And judging by how they easily conquered the pirates from the day before, Yeonjun could agree. The pirate continued to explain that even if Sabertooths are comparatively weaker than other big cats, there's no doubt that they will still be a threat. Yeonjun then asked why Beomgyu was referred as a regular tiger when he leads a streak of sabers, and Kai answered:

"Beomgyu is really like a tiger; bold and fierce, and knows when and how to attack his enemies. He has deep knowledge about a lot of things, even if he fools around and acts like a child." Hueningkai said, chuckling, "Gyu is nice. You should get to know him more." He added, raising both of his eyebrows in a teasing manner. Yeonjun felt his face heating up at the implication.

Hueningkai pulled Yeonjun near the front part of the deck, settling down on the barrels and crates perched there as he continues on introducing the other pirates.

"That one over there is Samson, he's the oldest among the crew." Hueningkai said, pointing at the bulky man that teased Beomgyu earlier, pulling on the ropes for the main mast. Yeonjun properly sees the achingly huge muscles of the man (he didn't notice it earlier as he was only paying attention to the Captain).

Kai then points to two pirates swordfighting with sticks in the middle of the main deck, "The magenta-haired is Seungmin, and the one he's fighting with is Jeongin. Don't listen to them much, they're full of bullshits." He deadpanned before pointing to the girl on the crow's nest atop the main sail, peeking into a telescope, "That one is Ryujin, she's the chef. Never mess with her or she'll shoot an arrow into your eye. Especially if you mess with her sister, Yuna. She's the youngest among us." He points at the long-haired girl reading a book on the quarter deck stairs. "They're the only girls in this _family_." He added, smiling fondly.

The pirate's smile grew wider when he saw Soobin walking out of the Captain's chamber with Taehyun. "You already know Soobin. He's the quartermaster, basically the second-in-command. And of course, Taehyun. He's the navigator and doctor. And probably your neighbor back in Jeju." He joked.

Yeonjun stared at the red-haired boy, remembering the poster from three years ago, "How did Taehyun get here?"

"Not my story to tell." Hueningkai shrugged.

The prince frowned, "Well, then tell me what he did to me yesterday. Surely you can do that."

The pirate looked at him, a smile tugging on his lips. "Have you ever heard of the _Sacred Emblems_?"

Yeonjun creased his forehead, even more confused as he hadn't ever heard of the term. It wasn't on the books he had read either. And that’s saying a lot as he’s been reading almost his whole life.

"No. What's that?"

Hueningkai seemed to be shocked by the response. "Blimey! You haven't? Are you some sort of uncultured prince or something?" He asked, and when the prince didn't answer, he quickly added, "Okay, sorry. No comments about the prince life.

Anyway, Sacred Emblems are basically like gifts from the gods. People who have its blessings are called _Bearers_ , and are able to use its power albeit limited." Kai explains, "Taehyun has the Healing Emblem. That's why he was able to relieve your sickness."

Yeonjun was speechless. These pirates . . . have powers? If Kai had told him these a day earlier, he wouldn't have believed it. But he experienced it firsthand, and was cured by it just hours prior. He wondered if he was locked away from the outside world for too long that he didn't know about this; a feat that seems to have existed for quite awhile and he hadn't had the slightest idea of its existence, nothing from his books. Yeonjun thinks if his father might've known something about these Emblems, and if the King does, why didn't he tell him anything?

A lot of thoughts flooded his mind, and Yeonjun wanted to hate himself for always over-analyzing and overthinking, until Hueningkai perched up and grinned at him, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

"Want to see what I can do?" Kai asks. He didn't even wait for Yeonjun to answer when he dashed for the wooden railing of the deck and climbed there. And then he jumped off the moving ship.

Yeonjun gasps as he immediately ran towards where the younger stood and gazed down at the sea, eyes wide with shock, but he didn't see any sign of the pirate. He didn't even hear a single splash with how loud the waves are crashing on the ship, and not a single ripple was present. Panicking, he turned to call Soobin-

"Looking for me?"

Yeonjun jerked his head up quickly at the voice, and found Kai sitting on the gaff holding the foresail, "What- How did you-"

The brown-haired pirate jumped from the pole and gently floated down until his feet touched the floorboards.

"You can _fly_?" Yeonjun asked, aghast.

"You could say that. But I actually _control_ air." Kai answers, making himself float over the deck. Yeonjun saw Soobin walking towards them from behind the younger. "I can make the air carry me off the ground, or make it heavier, even faster." He said, smiling before he flew again, shrieking like a dolphin as he circles the masts.

Yeonjun watched him in awe, bewildered at the sight as Soobin stood next to him. They watched Kai as he glides through the air and gave Ryujin a high-five, before flying to the sterncastle where Taehyun drives. The red-haired pirate waves at him until he disappears to one side of the ship's rear and reappeared on the other side. Kai even knocked off Samson's hat before he landed in the deck with an after-run, crashing himself on his slightly taller boyfriend.

"Lay off the pranks Hyuka." Soobin scolded as he held the younger down, (if you can call that scolding with how fond he sounded), "You almost sent Prince Yeonjun in a heart attack when you jumped off the ship."

"You seriously scared me!" The prince complained.

Hueningkai only chuckled awkwardly as he proceeded to show Yeonjun his forearm, a drawing of a gray tornado tattooed there. "I’m the Air Emblem Bearer." He said proudly, then gestured for Soobin.

"I have the Nature Emblem." Soobin said with a smile, showcasing off his dimples as he raises his arm, a tattoo of a red flower visible on his skin. "I command plants, basically."

“Show him Binnie!” Hueningkai said excitingly, making Soobin laugh. Soobin proceeded to move his fingers simultaneously, similar to a wave, and Yeonjun watched intently as a bud appeared on the tallest boy’s palm. The pirate continued on with the movement until the bud bloomed into a beautiful rose, crimson red and full of thorns.

“That’s amazing.” Yeonjun said, mouth agape.

“Yeah, and it’s tiring as hell if it’s done out of thin air.” Soobin whines, breathing uneven as he hands the flower to Hueningkai. The latter accepted it with a wide smile.

Putting the flower next to his cheek, he asked cutely, “Which is prettier, me or the flower?”

Soobin rolled his eyes playfully at his boyfriend’s antics, while Yeonjun stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to react in front of _these_ couples. He’s still awkward being surrounded by _openly_ homosexuals, as the ones he was living with back at the palace are closeted and kept in secret.

“I could borrow you a book about the Emblems, if you’d like, Your Highness.” The gray-haired pirate offered, ignoring the pouty face of his lover.

“Sure. I’d like that.” Yeonjun responds. He was always the type to want to know stuff around him, always wanting to satisfy his curiosity. And even if he’d like to ask questions or complain about the pirates brushing away all those said questions, he knows that he’s in no place to demand. No matter how kind they seem to be on a better portion of the day, it doesn’t change the fact that they are pirates, and they could kill anyone without batting an eyelash. Yeonjun doesn’t want to be on the receiving end of the sharp blades on their hips, and he certainly doesn’t want to die that way, far away from his family and in the middle of the sea. So until he could find a way back, he would use his time here wisely, gathering knowledge that his security deprived.

Soobin smiled at him and did a slight bow, before he turned to a sulking Hueningkai, “Babe, you’re the prettiest flower. Is that even a question?”

~

Yeonjun had finished reading that afternoon. The book Soobin lent wasn’t really thick and interestingly direct to the point. Although the prince doubts its validity judging by its oldness and crappy handwriting, he could think that it was the most acceptable explanation regarding the existence of magic powers.

The Sacred Emblems are mystical objects etched with a symbol of a god. The objects are said to be left behind by the gods when they roamed the Earth, hidden deep in mountains, forests, even deep waters; only to be found by those who actively seek for it. Like all treasures, there’s a map on how to find the Emblems, and only one could absorb its power by touching it and activating it with a _riddle_ written on its map. So if one person accidentally finds an Emblem, it’s partially useless as it requires the map; like a _key_ that’s unusable without a _lock_. This is why pirates go on quests, or fight with each other; to find these magic objects, to seek for power beyond them, and to ultimately rule the seas. But absolutely _no one_ could absorb two Emblems.

He also found out that these powers could be inherited, although it was a _rare_ occurrence. An explanation from the book says that it was possible as these powers become rooted with the spirit and the soul, and a part of their spirit and soul gets passed onto their offspring. Yeonjun thought that it was a stretch, but with what he’s seen in the past day, he doubt that he even knows what’s rational. Especially with what he heard from the two pirates.

Hueningkai had told him that he found his Emblem on a harp. His father had brought it home one day and to young Kai’s eyes, it seemed like his father was trying to hide it, looking out to the windows suspiciously before settling it on a table and pulling out a piece of parchment from his pant pocket. Then his father was called by his mother and he left it on the table with a groan. Kai, being the little kid that he is, approached the harp and held onto it, examining its golden strings and tracing an unknown writing on its pillar with sparkling eyes. Then he took a peek at the paper, reading it in a clumsy murmur. Kai’s father ran to him just as he finished reading the last word, and it was too late. The harp glowed bright light and vanished into white dust, magically floating to his forearm as it tattooed itself permanently on the young kid’s skin. Since then, his father got angry at him, to the point that he was willing to sell the kid off to some pirates. (Hueningkai said the last bit jokingly, but Yeonjun felt like it isn’t.)

Soobin’s story was a bit different. He was already with some pirates on a quest when he found the Emblem, guised as a Middlemist Red, a rare flower that was certainly not found in a tropical rainforest such as the one they were in. It’s the same flower tattooed on his arm. Upon seeing the unique scripts on its petals, he knew it was the one. So he plucked it off its stem and hid it in the inside pockets of his vest, careful not to squish it too much. When the crew returned to the ship for the night, he stole the map and read the riddle quickly as he hides in the brig. Like Kai’s harp, the flower glowed brightly and disappeared into red dust before it etches itself on his skin. The pirates had caught him of course, but he was able to fight them and escape.

Yeonjun also found out that there were a lot more Bearers on the ship; Samson has the Strength Emblem (which explains his huge muscles), Seungmin has the War Emblem (which is why he always fights with Jeongin, as joked by Kai), and Ryujin has the Huntress Emblem (Soobin bragged that she could shoot down a bird from half a mile). But what surprised him even more was finding out that Beomgyu has _two_ Emblems. Both of the pirates told him that it wasn’t their story to tell how that had happened, and to be honest, Yeonjun didn’t know it if was just out of respect for their Captain, or they want him to find it out for himself. And judging by the looks that the lovers shared, the prince concluded that it was both.

They did tell him his Emblems though; the Star Emblem, and Fire Emblem.

Yeonjun figured that maybe that was why Beomgyu’s eyes were so starry, and maybe why he’s also hot. Then he blushed infuriatingly at his own thoughts.

_I’m in fucking trouble._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this wasn't supposed to be uploaded today but i got impatient lmao i really hate it when i finish a chapter earlier than scheduled then the urge to post it immediately keeps on bothering me until i get annoyed at myself and just update, like two days earlier ugh 🙄
> 
> i also added some places for the fun of it, but it won't be too detailed on where exactly. just the scope of it for the sake of the quest and it's journey
> 
> and yes, this is side sookai bcos they cute <3


	4. Betrayal

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "What the fuck did you do?"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> tw // blood, violence, death [ !!! partly graphic !!! ]

Since that morning, Yeonjun didn't see Beomgyu, as the pirate captain locked himself up in his quarters for the whole day until the next. The only people allowed to go in there were Soobin and Taehyun, the latter being the one bringing food and staying there for most of the time. Yeonjun willfully ignores the whirl of emotions in his chest as he looks out to the vast sea; it's the only thing he'd been doing for the past two days, careful not to get in the way of the pirates' routines and errands. Admittedly, it feels freeing; not worrying about anything except for the next destination, feeling the combination of the cool breeze and the warm sunlight on his skin. He could just stare at the wide stretch of the clear blue sky and endless waters, meeting at the thin line in the horizon. For once, Yeonjun felt free, but there's a bothering thought in him that makes him hold back.

He isn't contented. He wants the freedom but he didn't know at what cost. And he's scared that if he embraced what he's experiencing at the moment, which he _knows_ is temporary, he would have a bigger heartbreak when the time comes to let it go.

Yeonjun sighs heavily as he watch the orange sky slowly dim to dark blue, revealing the stars hidden by the light of the sun.

It's selfish – what he wants. He's a prince; he has obligations to their kingdom, responsibilities entrusted to him from the moment he was born. He knows he can't just give it up- he has to make a change, for the betterment of his home.

But when he remembers the starry eyes and sly curve of lips, then maybe . . . _just maybe_ . . .

"Your Highness! Time for dinner!"

The prince turned to see Hueningkai near the galley's door, waving at him enthusiastically. He smiled at the younger's lively spirit as he pushes himself away from the railing and made his way to eat, shoving his thoughts to the back of his mind again.

~

That night, Yeonjun couldn't sleep. He has been staring at the ceiling for a few hours already, and the steady swaying of the ship was still not something he could get used to. He looked over to the other bed and saw Soobin, peacefully sleeping as Kai hugged him from behind. He internally wished he could have that as he sat up from the sheets, deciding to spend his time looking at the stars than some wood.

He settles on the front part of the deck near the ship's bowsprit, and leaned his arms over the railing as he stretches his head up to look at the scattered dots of white. It was _beautifu_ /. Yeonjun could see the stars so clearly for there weren't any lights on the deck, and he raises a finger near his eye to trace a few constellations.

"Trouble sleeping?"

The prince was startled at the voice, and he turned to his side, finding the captain standing a few feet away from him. The two of them stared at each other for a moment, and Yeonjun suddenly feels breathless.

Beomgyu gave him a small smile, "Mind if I join you?"

Yeonjun was briefly distracted by the smile before he sputtered, "Y-yeah. It's your ship."

The captain chuckled lowly before moving to stand beside him, a bit of space between them, "I just didn't want to make you feel any more uncomfortable."

Yeonjun was even more startled with the pirate's words. Beomgyu seems to be surprising him every time they were in each other's company.

None of them spoke for a while, just listening to the sounds of the waves and their soft breaths as they look up the sky.

"Why are you still up?" Yeonjun was aching to break the silence in favor not to hear his own pounding heart, which seems to be happening a lot whenever the pirate was near. Beomgyu seemed to be surprised, and Yeonjun wondered if his question was intruding. "U-um, you didn't have to answer if it's personal or something, you know. I didn't want to seem like I'm meddling with your business." He added awkwardly.

Beomgyu laughed lightly at the prince's rambling, "No, it's okay. Just surprised that you asked." He said, scratching his nape, "I'm awake because I was driving the ship, then I saw you coming out so I thought of approaching you."

"But who's driving now?" Yeonjun asks.

"No one." Beomgyu answers, causing for the prince to look at him wide eyed, "Don't worry, we're almost there. The currents of the straits here are weak right now so it's fine to leave it be for a short while. It'll only take a few more hours until we get there anyway."

"We're in the Philippines already?"

"Aye!" The captain beams at him, pointing out to the sea on the starboard side of the ship, "See those islands there?" Yeonjun squinted, making out the faint curves of mountains against the night sky as he nodded, "Welcome to the Pearl of the Orient. The country of seven-thousand troublesome islands."

Yeonjun laughed lightly at Beomgyu's joke, not really understanding the difficulty of maneuvering a ship around scatters of islands, but because the pirate sounded like a kid complaining.

"I've never been this far from Jeju before . . . " Yeonjun murmurs under his breath, as if it was only a thought that he unconsciously said out loud. His eyes scan over the distant mountains, not seeing any signs of life in this late night. The sky was lively though; stars were blinking brightly against the black canvas.

Beomgyu heard him nonetheless, "Really? You're missing out a lot then."

The prince realizes that he had voiced out his thoughts, but he didn't intend to take it back so he silently agrees, not wanting to dwell too much on the topic of his royal life.

The captain let him be as he let out a yawn, "I should probably get back up there; give you some time alone."

Before the pirate could turn around and leave, Yeonjun took a hold of his wrist without thinking, "Wait!"

Beomgyu stopped and looked at him with a questioning expression, and then his eyes drifted to the prince's grip. Yeonjun immediately let it go.

"A-about your question before . . . regarding Kwonjae- I- I could tell it to you, you know? I-if you want to, that is . . ." He stammered. Yeonjun curses himself for how lame he sounded.

Beomgyu eyed him carefully, and Yeonjun could see his contemplation through his expressive eyes. He was thankful that the captain spoke or else he would've been pulled in by the stars.

"I won't ask for it. I mean, I did. But I wouldn't force you to tell me if you're not ready to talk about it, because it seems like that." Beomgyu gave him a soft smile, one that causes Yeonjun's heart to melt. "You should head back inside soon, though. It's already late."

Swallowing the lump in his throat, Yeonjun only managed to nod.

"Get some sleep, angel." The captain added with a smile, "I know you're pretty whenever but trust me, you don't want to be sleep-deprived in this ship."

Beomgyu walked away to go back to his position on the sterncastle, leaving Yeonjun with a flushed face and a pounding heart. A wave of emotions flooded into his system again, but he was sure on one thing this time.

He couldn't stay here. Not when he's starting to develop a crush on the pirate captain.

And that's when he makes an impulsive, and possibly the worst decision he would have ever made in all his years of living.

~

"Avast ye, you lousy scoundrels!" Beomgyu yelled as soon as he knew that his crew had finished eating lunch. They are currently anchored a bit far off the coast of the northernmost part of Cebu's main island. The _Sabers_ immediately stopped what they were doing and rushed out of the galley and lower decks to listen to their Captain.

Beomgyu stood in the middle of the main deck and his crew surrounded him. He was wearing a black shirt, with a black vest above it, and glossy black leather pants, accompanied by a sheathed broadsword hanging on his belt. He also had both of his hands tucked into the front pockets of his pants as he waits for his crew to settle. Yeonjun couldn't help but stare at the attractive captain as he pulls on his own cotton black shirt over dark red pants, courtesy of the said pirate. The prince fights off the blush creeping on his face when he was reminded that he's wearing Beomgyu's clothes (the captain insisted as Yeonjun had been wearing the same set of clothing since he had been kidnapped, and Soobin joked that Beomgyu thinks he's starting to stink), and he just stood stiffly beside Hueningkai and Soobin, both of them also wearing all-black clothes.

"Listen, fuckers! I'm not going to say this twice." The pirate captain growled, "Nine bastards get to come with me on that island. Ryujin and Jeongin, stay for lookouts. Any pirate sighting or fucking Blue Marines, you use that flare signal. Seungmin and Samson, you're on guards. If we're not back in four hours, you get three men to come with you and look for us. The rest of you, stay in alert; we are in guarded waters." Beomgyu said as his crew nods. Yeonjun admired his leadership and the crew's obedience. "I don't know what exactly are we looking for, but we have to try. Look for an object that seemed related to the Emblems, or look for Kwonjae. _Especially_ look for Kwonjae."

Yeonjun's eyes widened at the mention of the old pirate. _He's alive?_ Wasn't he in the ship that these pirates burned? And if not, _how_ did Beomgyu knew that he's here?

"We are not here to attract attention among us, alright? No looting, no lollygagging, _no killing_." The Captain said, emphasizing the last one and the crew voiced out complaints. "Unless necessary, of course." He scoffed with a shrug, making his crew snicker.

Beomgyu nodded at Soobin. "You heard the Captain!" The tallest yelled, "Move your asses and get in your stations! Main group leaves in five! Get that boat ready!"

"Aye aye!" The crew responded lively and started moving.

Yeonjun remained standing on the same spot, not wanting to obstruct the moving pirates as he looked out to the island, silently forming a plan into his mind.

"Your Highness?" Hueningkai called. The prince turned his attention to him. "Do you want to come with?"

"Am I allowed?" Yeonjun asked, wide-eyed and hopeful.

"Aye!" Hueningkai beamed, "You're part of this now! I'll go tell Beomgyu."

Kai left skipping to his captain that's talking to Ryujin and Jeongin. Yeonjun watched him go, heart sinking to his stomach at what the younger pirate said.

_I'm sorry Kai, but I can't stay._

The moment Yeonjun stepped foot on the beach, he felt a sense of longing for the land. He had only been on the sea for about five days, and although it was a good experience, he still missed having a stable ground to step on; without the constant swaying of the ship and the small anxiety that anything could go wrong while sailing. He glanced around, seeing tall trees and bushes and some cottages a few yards from them, probably residents. It gave him a sense of comfort and peace as he inhales the faint scent of leaves and wet soil. The plants reminded him of the gardens back home; the colorful flowers and butterflies, the chirping of birds and his father’s song, and the company he shared them with – especially his mother. Then he looked at the sea, seeing the black ship in obvious contrast against the bright day, white sails folded against the gaffs, with its flag confidently fluttering with the wind as it rests on top of the crow’s nest: a black tapestry with an outline of a tiger’s face, its stripes resembling flames. The sight alone was intimidating enough, a clear warning not to mess with its sailors. It makes him remember where he really belongs – most likely not in that vessel.

Speaking of the pirates, they have already disassembled and are going to roam the island in search for the old man. They are divided in groups of two, and Yeonjun was accompanied by Hueningkai, officially ditching his boyfriend in favor to guide the prince. Where the Captain was? He didn’t know. He assumed that he would be with the red-haired as they seem inseparable. An ugly feeling pooled in the pits of his stomach and he calmed himself down, reminding himself of his plan to escape as the two of them walked through the trees. They arrived at a town a few meters deep in the forest after walking for approximately twenty minutes, and carefully roamed around the streets to not seem suspicious enough to scare off the villagers (which Yeonjun thinks was unnecessary as the people still looked at them warily due to their dark clothes, and Hueningkai’s sword is a dead giveaway). Most of the people didn’t seem to mind though, only staying out of their way and stealing a couple more glances. They must have been used to seeing pirates, Yeonjun thought.

They arrived at a local marketplace area, full of stalls and traders marketing food and products. Hueningkai has an arm linked with Yeonjun’s as they stroll across the market, eyeing each stand for god knows what. The younger seems focused as he looked around, darting from the products to the people. Yeonjun pretended to look around as well, searching for anyone that could possibly help him. Then he saw _them_. His heart started to pound against his chest and he fought the smile tugging on his lips. Now all he needed to do was make an excuse to Kai and then approach them for help to get him back to Jeju, and then this nightmare would be over and he would be back on the comforts of his own bed and own clothes.

Yeonjun subtly watched the officers as they enter what seemed to be a restaurant. He looked back at Hueningkai that was still looking at various objects, occasionally holding one in his hands before putting it back down. Then the prince gazed around, trying to see if the other pirates are here but thankfully, there’s none. Now was the perfect time.

“Kai,” Yeonjun started, the said boy turned to him and hummed questioningly, “Uh, I- I need to use the lavatory. I’m just going to look for one.”

A look of confusion and worry flickered over Kai’s expression, “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No!” Yeonjun gasped hysterically, “I mean, no, it’s okay. I could manage. I’ll be quick.”

Hueningkai eyed him worriedly before shrugging, “Take your time then. I’ll wait for you here.”

Yeonjun gave him a small smile before walking away, briefly looking back to make sure that Kai wasn’t watching him, but it seemed like the younger trusted his word as he moved onto the next stall. He swallowed the lump in his throat because, _no,_ he was not about to be soft for the curly brown-haired boy. _He’s a pirate_ , he reminded himself.

The prince entered the restaurant and darted his eyes around. When he sighted them, he took a deep breath and composed himself, just like he would when addressing a formal meeting. Although his heart is starting to hammer, he held his head high and calmly strode towards the officers.

“Excuse me.” He said, causing for the loud officers to look at him, an annoyed expression on their faces at the interruption before it morphed into one of understanding as they moved to reach the swords on their sides.

Yeonjun held his hand up in alarm, “I don’t have anything with me. I’m not what you think.”

The four officers looked at him suspiciously before one of them stood up and searched his body for any possible weapons. Finding none, the officer speak up, “What do you want, _pirate_?”

~

Beomgyu and Taehyun arrived in front of an abandoned building near the outskirts of the town, right in front of an old antique shop. There weren’t a lot of people around as they entered the alley on the side of the building, much hidden from plain sight. Unsheathing their swords, they carefully entered the building through a broken window, and looked around in search for the old man. The first floor was void of any real furniture, mostly consisting of rubble. So they proceeded to the second floor, where they were greeted by Kwonjae in the middle of his lunch.

“Oh, you found me.” He said plainly through his mouth of food, as if it wasn’t a surprise that the young pirate did.

“No shit.” Beomgyu responded with an eye roll, “For an old man, you sure are hard to find.”

“Have some respect you little shit.” Kwonjae retorted, gesturing for the two to sit down, which they did after sheathing their weapons. “So, you’ve found my little _gift_ , eh?” He teased.

“By gift, do you mean that dumb bundle of anxiety?” Taehyun hissed, crossing his arms in front of his chest and earning a glare from Beomgyu. “What? It’s not like I’m lying. He’s always looking at me as if _I_ threatened his life when I actually did the opposite.”

“Maybe if you weren’t so hostile.” Beomgyu bit back.

“You’re the one who threatened to feed him to the sharks then you call _me_ hostile?”

“I sense jealousy.” Kwonjae said, chewing.

“Shut up.” Taehyun gritted. Kwonjae laughed at his reaction as Beomgyu palmed his face.

“Enough about that.” Beomgyu said, “Why did you run away when we caught that ship? We could’ve just sailed here together. You knew I was coming for you.”

“Didn’t want to see your ugly face longer.” Kwonjae teased, and Taehyun laughed.

Beomgyu pinched the bridge of his nose, “You’re unbelievable.”

“I had a premonition. You know me.” Kwonjae simply answered. “How’s the prince?”

“You ask how he is but you didn’t ask me, your own _grandson_ , how I’m doing? I see your priorities.” The raven-haired boy complained.

Kwonjae smacked the back of Beomgyu’s head, “Just answer the question dipshit.”

“Whatever.” Beomgyu rolled his eyes, “He’s doing fine, I guess. He told us the riddle on the night you left, but we only figured out the last two phrases. Do you have an idea on what goes on with the rest?”

Kwonjae gulped down a glass of water before answering, expression becoming serious. “I found this in that shop across the street. It’s like a treasure box.” He said as he handles a box from beside him and placed it in the middle of them three. It’s a rectangular box made of gold, with delicate engravings of vines lining parallel to its sides. “See what’s wrong in it.”

Beomgyu raised the box to level with his face and he turned it over and over, seeing the familiar unknown scripts on the sides of the box, a sign that it was what they were looking for. He shook the box and something rattled inside it before he scanned it again for an opening-

“There’s no lid.” Taehyun voiced out after observing his captain, “How do we open it then?”

“That’s what I’m afraid of.” The old man said, scratching his beard, “The riddle goes _locked doors need to be opened and a sacrifice had to be made._ And to open a locked door, we need a key.”

“But there’s no keyhole either.” Beomgyu stated.

“That’s where the sacrifice comes in.” Kwonjae said grimly, “This box is made of melted gold drachmas, coins that are most valuable to the gods. Only a god’s true power could open that box.”

“But where do we find someone with that-“ Taehyun paused as his eyes widen. “ _No_ \- You don’t mean that the sacrifice _had_ to be a Bearer, right?”

Tensing, Beomgyu creased his forehead, “Can’t I just melt that shit?”

“I doubt even your fire could cause damage.” Kwonjae said, “It’s what the riddle means. And both of you know that there’s nothing more powerful on this earth yet other than _that lightning,_ unless you get that _treasure_.”

“But we wouldn’t get that treasure because the next clue is right in _here_.” Taehyun said as a matter-of-factly, tapping the box with his index finger.

Beomgyu stood up and paced around the small room, seemingly deep in thought as he brushes his hair back. The two other pirates watched him for a while until he spoke, voice firm and with no space for argument.

“We’ll take the box for awhile and think about how to do that sacrifice bullshit later. For now, we’ll have to get back to the Roar, and sail to safe waters near Mindanao. I know somewhere we can get supplies.” He said. Taehyun nodded at the plan and Kwonjae smiled at him proudly. “You’d have to come with us old man. Pops is going crazy because of your antics.”

Kwonjae let out a gleeful laughter at his grandson’s comment as he packed his very few belongings in his bag, along with the gold box. Once they were out of the building, Beomgyu shot a fireball high to the sky, signaling his crew that they have found what they were looking for. Then the three of them made their way to the shore where they tied the longboat, meeting the rest of the pirates as they wait for Hueningkai and Yeonjun to return. The old man gazed at Beomgyu with a prideful smile at how his grandson had grown over the years, and he hid the tears that grazed his cheek.

_I’m sorry Beomgyu. I wouldn’t be able to come with you any longer._

~

Yeonjun stood in front of the Blue Marines. Basically, they are pledged to bring order and peace across the oceans. They are determined to catch all the pirates and put an end to piracy, once and for all. If the pirates are the bad guys, they refer to themselves as the good ones. Yeonjun got to know about them when they visited their kingdom three years ago, informing the King of pirate sightings near the island’s waters. When Beomgyu had mentioned of the Blue Marines possibly going around the place, he felt a spark of hope that they could help him, which is why he tried to spot them.

“I’m not a pirate.” Yeonjun said, his fingers slightly trembling due to nervousness and anticipation, “I was hoping if you could help me get back to my home. I was abducted by pirates in Jeju, and I don’t know how to get back.”

“Of course,” One of the officers easily said, he seemed to be of higher position judging by the ornament on his uniform’s shoulder. He smiled at the prince and Yeonjun feels a surge of relief, “We would love to help. But may we ask do you know who the pirates that abducted you were?” The officer looked him up and down, “Don’t get me wrong, we’ll help you with your problem. We’re just making sure you aren’t making up stories because you seem just fine to me considering that you’re a captive.”

“Uh but I don’t know who they are. Their ship burned and sunk down about three days ago.”

The officer then raised his eyebrow in confusion, “How did you get here then?”

“Another group of pirates took me.” Yeonjun answered, breath starting to uneven. “They’re ship is called The Sabers’ Roar.”

The officers’ eyes widen at the name and they looked at each other, straightening their backs with alarm. The higher officer grabbed his shoulders and narrowed his eyes at him, “What’s their colors then?”

Yeonjun gulped, the officer didn’t seem friendly now as his grip started to tighten, “A tiger in flames.”

“ _He’s here._ ” The officer whispered. The surprised look in his face turned into something akin of anger and his eyes ignited with rage. Yeonjun’s knees trembled with fear. “The Burning Tiger’s here.” He addressed his fellow officers, which in turn stood up and called over more officers that were sitting farther inside the restaurant. “Look for them. Search every house. Patrol every street. _Now._ ” They all quickly moved out upon receiving their orders.

“You’re not going to do something bad to them, right?” Yeonjun managed to ask, even if he’s starting to shake. His eyes are wide and he felt much more scared of the officer in front of him, especially when he turned to the prince with an angry expression, like a predator thirsting for their prey.

“They’re _pirates._ They don’t do anything good so they deserve to _die_.” He spoke through gritted teeth.

The statement provided Yeonjun an image of the pirates dead on the floor as their own ship was on fire, and he nearly gagged in a mixture of horror and disgust. It also gave him a feeling of distrust for what supposed to be was keepers of peace as it didn’t sound like a justifiable thing to say.

Then Yeonjun suddenly thought of the pirates he had been with on that ship, pirates who barely knew him but were nothing but _nice_. He remembers Ryujin cooking them delicious foods, and Kai’s story of her being protective of her sister; remembers the prison guard Baki and how he played games with people in the brig; he remembers strong old man Samson that likes to joke around with the youngsters.

He thought of Taehyun that helped him from his seasickness (even if it was forced); he thought of Soobin who was all soft and dimples and gives his boyfriend flowers; he thought of Hueningkai, full of sunshine and smiles who loves dragging him around to show him things; he thought of Beomgyu, the pirate who was soft-spoken and cute outside of his captain persona. He had met them for only almost four days yet he could tell that they were good people. Despite the image of them killing pirates still fresh in his mind, he _knows_ , somewhere deep inside, that they wouldn’t lay a hand on him, on people that are innocent, on people that aren’t bad.

_“Not all pirates are bad.”_ Kwonjae had said.

_This is a mistake._

Yeonjun stepped back as the officer started talking to a lower-ranking one, and they turned to look at him. Sensing his agitation, the higher-ranked officer ordered:

“Seize him!”

The prince dashed out of the restaurant before anyone could grab him, and he ran towards where he left Hueningkai. But he wasn’t there anymore. Seeing the officers running towards him, he ran through an alley on his left and turned to where he remembers the boat was docked. And as if the stars were aligned for him, he had spotted Hueningkai walking a few blocks from where he stood, head darting side to side as if he was looking for someone. He urged his legs to go faster, and he was a few feet away from the younger when Kai looked back in alarm, clearly shocked from the sound of rushing footsteps. Yeonjun didn’t give him a chance to ask anything when he pulled on the other’s arm and they ran.

“What’s going on?” Kai asked, looking behind them. “Shit, are those Blue Marines?”

“I’ll explain later.” Yeonjun only said as they ran through the forest, dodging every tree and trudging through bushes while the officers still followed them. A few meters more and the sounds of footsteps following them slowly ceased, though they never stopped running. Once they got to the beach, they panted on their knees and tried to catch up some breath. The other pirates stood up in alert, as the two of them seemed like they ran a mile while being chased by a bull. Beomgyu was about to tease them when Hueningkai looked up with panic.

“We have to go. There are Blue Marines-“

The pirates collectively sheathed their weapons when they see a sword come out of nowhere and striked Hueningkai. The young pirate has a quick reflex to avoid the weapon, but not quickly enough for it to not completely graze his body as the sword slashes through his shirt sleeve and cut against the muscles of his right upper arm. He let out a scream of pain as he summoned a ball of wind with his left hand and pushed it to the officer that attacked him, sending him flying to the trees. Soobin hurriedly run to his boyfriend and winces at the deep wound, now with crimson blood endlessly flowing. He ripped a line from his shirt and tied it tightly on his arm. Taehyun moves as well but another officer showed up from the trees. Soobin pulled Hueningkai to the boat and Yeonjun followed, guilt starting to fill his body as the pirates were slowly being backed up against the waters by a growing number of officers.

The higher-ranked official appeared from the trees with a sickening grin across his face. Yeonjun’s heart dropped with fear. “We’ve met again, Burning Tiger.”

“I’d rather not see you again, Captain Jonah.” Beomgyu said, serious.

“I’ll gladly give you that favor.” Captain Jonah said, his eyes darted to every pirate on the shore before it landed on Yeonjun, “Ah, _you._ Thank you for leading us to this bastard.”

The pirates had turned to the prince in shock. Shaking his head, Yeonjun’s lips started to quiver as he tried to form words to explain, but when his gaze met the pirate captain’s orbs, an unreadable expression on his face, his mind blanked and he only hang his head down in embarrassment and shame.

Beomgyu felt his blood heat up as he turned away from the prince. He tightened his jaw and the grip on his sword as he lunged for the closest officer, swinging his sword expertly and cutting through his enemies’ skins. His crew started to do the same as they engaged in a bloody swordfight. Yeonjun only stood near the boat stiffly, not knowing what to do. Then he saw an officer coming for him and he was totally vulnerable. Before he could even get closer though, a sword floated in the air and pierced through the officer’s heart. The prince turned to see Hueningkai sitting on the boat, bleeding and using his power to help his crewmates. Their abilities sent them an advantage as Soobin had directed the branches of the nearby trees to incapacitate a few officers and hang them upside down, and Beomgyu had created a circle of fire on the sand, trapping a few more officers in them.

“Do _not_ kill them!” Beomgyu yelled, and the crew shouted an “Aye!” in response, cutting through the officer’s limbs and leaving them agonizingly alive on the sand. Yeonjun didn’t understand why they would give such torture, before he started to vomit. The sight of blood wasn’t pretty and it colored the officers’ white uniforms, and the white sand of the beach; also releasing such a pungent odor in the air.

The sound of metal hissing against metal was all they could hear in the otherwise quiet beach as Beomgyu faced off with Jonah.

“Quite a brilliant idea not killing my men.” Jonah sneered, clearly taunting the pirate.

“They’re as good as dead either way.” Beomgyu gritted.

Jonah’s eyes darken with anger and he flicked his finger to the side. From the pirate captain’s peripheral, he could see a dead officer stand up to life and grabs a sword as he makes his way to the boat. Beomgyu turned properly to see who was in there, and he saw the prince vomiting, back totally an exposed target. The brief distraction gave Jonah the chance to kick Beomgyu to the ground, and raising his sword-

Kwonjae deflected it with his cutlass, and the two of them clashed blades. Beomgyu momentarily recovers from his shock before he stood up to help his old man, but not before pulling out a dagger from his pocket and throwing it to the undead officer’s head, sending it back to hell. He circled his wrist as he approached the two-

But Kwonjae yelled at him, “Get back Beomgyu!”

“I can help!” Beomgyu retorted, still striding towards them that seemed to have gone way farther from where they originally were.

At that instance, Kwonjae raises his hand at him and blasted him with a starburst, sending Beomgyu flying back near the others. Jonah took the opportunity of the pirate being preoccupied and slashed his sword on the old man’s chest.

“Kwonjae!” Beomgyu yelled from where he lay on the sand and he froze at the next sight.

Jonah plunged the sword on Kwonjae’s heart, and the latter spat out blood as he looked at his grandson.

_I’m proud of you. Smack your father for me._

The old man fell on the ground with a thud. And the moment his last breath fell off his lips, a loud thunder echoed from the clear sky. Jonah suddenly froze on where he stood above the pirate, realizing his mistake as he looked up, meeting the sight of an abnormally huge lightning pierce through the sky and hit Kwonjae’s body dead on, which also sent the officer flying to the side in flames and landing motionless on the beach.

“Grandpa!” Beomgyu yelled as he ran to his now dead grandfather. He slumped down beside the burnt body as Taehyun sat beside him, offering him comfort by holding his hand. Beomgyu gripped on his locks using the other one as he fights the tears threatening to fall, which didn’t work as sobs started to wrack his body. Taehyun proceeded to wrap his arms around his captain, eyes also welling with tears. The other pirates surrounded them and silently mourned.

A few minutes passed by and Beomgyu wipes his tears away, catching sight of the old man’s bag. Taehyun let go of him when he reached out for the burning bag, patting the flames down with his bare hands and looking inside.

The bag only contains of Kwonjae’s journal, and the gold box was nowhere to be found. In its place, instead, were a golden key and a parchment.

“That old bastard.” Beomgyu muttered in between his sniffles.

~

“What the fuck did you do?” The Captain growled as he looked down at Yeonjun, shirtless and kneeling on the floorboards of the main deck with hands bound behind him.

Yeonjun was now on the verge of tears, he didn’t know what to answer and he felt like he was being shamed as the pirate crew surrounded him. The ship was still anchored on the same spot, and Beomgyu only felt it fitting to punish the traitor before moving on.

“I said, what the fuck did you do!” Beomgyu yelled so loud that Yeonjun flinched. The Captain had been a comforting presence to Yeonjun (though he wouldn’t admit it), and so this scenario was something he wasn’t used to, even if he should’ve expected the behavior at some point as Beomgyu was still a pirate, a captain even.

“I’m sorry-“

“Will your sorry heal Hyuka? Will your sorry bring back my grandfather!”

“I-I just wanted to go home . . . “ Yeonjun whispered, tears now streaming down his face.

“Then you shouldn’t have left in the first place!” Beomgyu screamed, voice strained and cracking in the end, like he was preventing himself to cry.

Silence came over the ship at the thick tension in the air, the only sound they heard was the prince’s soft sniffling.

“Baki, give me the whip.” Beomgyu ordered. Yeonjun looked up at him in alarm, body starting to tremble at the sight of the long leather whip being handed to the captain.

Beomgyu curled the length on his hand before raising it above his head. Their gazes met and Yeonjun was surprised to see that the pirate was crying. His expressive eyes hold so much anger, fear, and most of all – disappointment. Yeonjun didn’t know what hurt more.

Gathering his courage, the prince closed his eyes tightly and waited for the painful impact of the whip. But a couple minutes had passed and there was none. When Yeonjun opened his eyes, he sees the Captain trembling like a leaf before he dropped the whip to the floor weakly.

“Take him to the brig.” Beomgyu only says, wiping his tears with his blood-stained hands, “And get to your stations, we’re going to teach the fuckers some lessons.”


	5. Stars

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "The stars told me."

Curled up in the corner of the cell, Yeonjun watched as the other occupants of the brig move back and forth, carrying cannonballs upstairs to the wide armory room. There was a continuous booming sound of a dozen cannons firing, and the prince could also faintly hear the sound of metal clashing and indistinct screaming. He can't help but blame himself for the suffering the officers would face in the hands of these pirates, especially with their angry captain. Soon enough, the footsteps died down and the occupants slumped all over the brig in exhaustion. And then Yeonjun could hear crackling sounds from the other side of the ship; it was no doubt the sound of burning wood. He felt sick to his stomach again. Beomgyu and his crew had once again finished an entire ship full of men and burned them to the sea.

Then came a deafening silence. The other people in the brig eyes him and whispers among themselves; obviously, they had known what he had done. Although he can't help but be confused as to why the others weren't locked inside the cells, being able to freely move out and about the lowest floor of the ship, he kept mum. Meanwhile, he was locked up in the small cell like an animal. Yeonjun had never imagine feeling this much worse than when he was back at the kingdom.

Yeonjun didn't want to think of anything at the moment anymore, tears have already dried out on his cheeks as he hugged his knees closer to his chest. Eventually, the distant murmurs and steady rocking of the ship lulled him to sleep.

When the prince woke up, he felt that the ship wasn't moving anymore. He rubbed his eyes awake and his vision adjusted to the empty brig, making him perk up in alarm. At the same time, Soobin was stepping down the wooden stairs with a plate of food in his hand and noticed that Yeonjun was awake.

Soobin gave him a small smile as he stopped in front of Yeonjun's cell door. "Here's some brunch, Your Highness."

Yeonjun only looked up at him, thoughts going haywire. What if the food was poisoned as punishment for his actions? Why was Soobin being nice? Why were they giving him food when he doesn't deserve it after his . . . _betrayal_? Yeonjun wasn't really sure if he had really betrayed them when he hardly ever known the pirates.

But then he remembered the way the captain looked at him that night. Yeonjun felt like Beomgyu wasn't really crying for the death of his grandfather when the pirate confronted him (although it was a part of it), but was crying at the sheer and utter betrayal of the prince. And he didn't know why it hurt more. So he pushed the thought in the back of his mind, unconsciously hugging himself tighter to prevent the guilt to come out. 

The prince looked even smaller at the action, and Soobin felt bad. So he unlocked the cell door and stepped inside, sliding the bars close behind him and sitting beside Yeonjun on the mattress laid on the floor. He placed the food down in the space between them and laid his back to comfortably rest on the wall with a sigh.

Yeonjun only watched the tall pirate's movements with a confused expression on his face. He didn't know what to say. He wanted to ask the questions whirling in his head but he doesn't have the courage to. So he settled with just sitting there in silence.

"You're probably wondering if the others hate you for what you did." Soobin said out of the blue, noticing the way the prince fidgets with his fingers and shifts uncomfortably in his position. Yeonjun jerked up at the sudden conversation, looking for the right words to answer. But when he got none, he gnawed on his lower lip and let out a small nod. "I'd be lying if I said they weren't mad at you. I was too. Kai was almost _killed_ because of you." Yeonjun looked down at his fingers at that, guilt rushing in his systems as he remembers the sword aimed for Hueningkai's head.

"I'm sorry." Yeonjun said sincerely.

"We _hate_ traitors. Especially Kai. So when we're talking about what to do to you, we were surprised that he wanted to forgive you, to give you a chance to redeem yourself because he said that you were just scared. Arguments against him started, but all of us shut up when it was Beomgyu who gave the final verdict." Soobin looked at him, eyes cold and stern, "Do you want to know what he said?"

Yeonjun swallowed the lump in his throat and nodded.

Soobin's face softened, "He reminded us that once in our lives, we were just like you, lost and wanting to go home." He looked away, breathing deeply as he gathers the words to say, "I didn't tell you the exact truth of how I ended here. I was kidnapped by pirates from my homeland too; those pirates that I stole the Emblem from. I didn't know where I was at that time I escaped, but I know I was too far from home. It was Beomgyu and his father who found me and took me in, and I met Kai there as well. They asked us if we wanted to get back to our families but Kai didn't want to. I was already inlove with him that time that I made the decision not to go back as well.

"Beomgyu told us that if we were in your place, we'd probably do the same. And it cooled everyone's fire." Soobin chuckled lightly, finding it ironic that the captain who commands fire, manages to cool down other's, "You've damaged those two the most, but they end up fighting for you."

Yeonjun stayed quiet at that, speechless at the revelations Soobin had told him. His eyes are welling with tears and he bit his lip to stop himself from sobbing.

Soobin sighed, reaching his hands to grab Yeonjun's shaky ones, "You see, we're not bad people. We were once lost too, but we found the way with each other. We just do what we need to do to survive. You may think I'm justifying our actions, but frankly, I don't care. This crew is _family_ to us, and we protect each other until our last breath." He gave Yeonjun a wide smile, one that made his eyes crinkle into crescents, "And you're welcome with us if you want to. It would take a few more convincing for others to fully forgive you, but it's no doubt they would."

Soobin stood up and slid the door aside, "Join us upstairs if you've made your decision."

The pirate had long gone upstairs when Yeonjun started to eat the food he was given, it was delicious as always. With a now full stomach and a silent ship, it gave him time to think.

Maybe they were right. Maybe he really just have some prejudice regarding pirates. As far as he remembers, none of the Sabers were mean to him. They were all approachable and funny, especially with Samson's jokes and the youngsters' rebuttals during meals. It was always him, _just him_ , closing off and removing himself from them. Then he learned from Baki a few minutes after Soobin left that the occupants of the brig weren't prisoners but sailors and breadwinners who are working and being paid by the pirates, and the bunks had just been full so there's no other place to sleep, but they were given a chance to go home once every half a year. He couldn't comprehend the thought that he had also endangered civilians only working for a living, so it made it him feel really bad. But Yeonjun also thought that he aspire to be someone as courageous and free, and still kind like these pirates.

That's what's important right? The lessons and the mindset to change and improve oneself.

Not all pirates are bad, Kwonjae was right. He remembers the tragic incident of his death, and the argument with his grandson after.

_"Then you shouldn't have left in the first place!"_

Beomgyu was right. If he didn't leave the palace and went to Kwonjae that night, then this wouldn't have happened.

But he did. Why?

Because he wanted to change his fate.

The puzzles seemed to have fit in Yeonjun's mind, though it seemed a little too late. But maybe this is what Kwonjae had meant. He was so blinded by his fear that he didn't see that this was his opportunity. Maybe being with these pirates would help him discover the answers to his questions. Maybe the pirates were the key to change his destiny.

Yeonjun stood up, finalizing his decisions. The moment he stepped out of the cell, it felt like he was finally freeing himself from the encasement of his past. He didn't think of his father and mother, or his fiancé slash friend. He would deal with those thoughts after, but right now, he would have to be selfish and think for himself first. And this decision brought him to epiphany.

The moment he stepped out of the stairs and into the bright light of the afternoon sun, it felt like he was suddenly out of the darkness after being kept in there for a long time. The sky was clear and orange, the sun was hot, and the breeze was fresh. It felt nice.

The lower deck was void of people. But he was surprised that the main deck was mostly empty too, save for a few men diving from the planks. And that's when he sees most of the crew swimming on the salt waters of the sea. Soobin was in there with Taehyun, laughing their hearts out as Samson dove, sending a huge wave to crash over them. On the nearby beach, Yeonjun also saw Baki and the workers, gathering some supplies to the boats; Ryujin and Yuna were also there with another girl, laying underneath umbrellas.

Soobin seemed to have noticed him first as the pirate waved at him, "Your Highness! Glad you could come!"

The other pirates have all looked up to the prince, and for a brief moment, Yeonjun felt scared, but it quickly went away when they all shouted for him to join. He looked over at the pirates' faces and they were all smiling at him, not a glint of insincerity on their features and he wanted to cry again.

Yeonjun only stood there, frozen and bewildered at the shift of events with his wide teary eyes. Then he heard some rushing footsteps and before he can even turn to look, a body tackled him into a hug.

"Your Highness!" Hueningkai squealed, "Did Soobinnie scold you? Did he bully you and made you feel bad?" He gasps, "Did he hurt you? I swear if that overgrown cutie did, I'd break up with him."

Yeonjun chuckled at that, "You wouldn't do that. And no, he didn't do anything but maybe knock some sense into me."

Hueningkai let out a gleeful laughter, tugging on the prince's arms, "I'm not sure what he said, but judging by your sudden _easiness_ I think it went well." He raised his brows twice, making Yeonjun laugh and nod, already feeling lighter. "Yo ho ho! We got him, bastards! Now let's swim!"

He started dragging Yeonjun to the planks when the prince protested, "Wait! Don't you have a wound? What if it gets infec-"

"Are you forgetting we have the best doctor on board?" Kai asks with a tease. Yeonjun briefly turned to the sea and saw the red-haired boy, smiling as he tries to drown his gray-haired friend.

"Now come on, Your Highness! Before the sun sets!" The young pirate pulled him along and held his hand.

Despite being surprised at the skinship, Yeonjun let him and held his hand back. "Yeonjun. Just call me Yeonjun."

Kai smiled at him widely and nodded. Hands clasped together, they jumped off the planks with the pirates' cheers. And as Yeonjun felt the saltiness creep in his skin and the waves crashing to his face, he had never felt more happy and free.

From this day forward, he was Yeonjun. _Just_ Yeonjun.

~

Yeonjun woke up livelier the next day, despite the painful hangover from drinking rum the night before. He wasn't used to drinking alcoholic beverages, only occassionally having a taste of wine and champagne during celebrations. But it felt good, being free and wasted. After swimming, the pirates had gathered in the galley for dinner, where they had grieved the death of Kwonjae. Soobin was the one who spoke some sort of a eulogy, remembering the late pirate's life and adventures, and promising that his sacrifice wouldn't be in vain. A few had shed tears, some loud sobs (which is actually just Samson's dramatic ass), and most were just quiet, silently sending their condolences to their captain, which was nowhere to be found. The prince had also took the opportunity to apologize for his mistakes and swore that he would help the pirates in whatever way he can, to which the pirates had welcomed him warmly by saying they understood. Yeonjun cried again at their comforting words and Samson had (hypocritically) teased him for being a crybaby.

Yet Yeonjun still had one person to apologize to. But Beomgyu had locked himself up in his chamber since that day, so he wasn't given the chance. He wanted to approach him in his room but decided against it, opting to wait until the captain was okay enough to come out by himself.

During breakfast that morning, the quartermaster had been discussing with them about the riddle, which was on the parchment found in Kwonjae's bag.

"The riddle goes like this;" Soobin started.

_"You have to look deeper_

_Where the West begin their days_

_Nature will guide thee_

_Do not make them angry."_

Hueningkai groaned, "This is so confusing. Why can't they just say where the treasure is and save us the trouble of thinking?"

"I don't see why you're complaining when you don't even contribute." Taehyun said with an eyeroll, making the younger gasp dramatically.

Inevitably, the two youngest started bantering, making Soobin sigh. He shifted to sit beside Yeonjun and showed him the parchment, and the latter took it in his hands. It was a piece of brown paper the size of a notebook page, with the letters in an elegant script of gold.

The prince scanned the words, letting the gears in his head click in. From his peripheral, he saw that the two stopped fighting and turned to watch him.

Yeonjun exhales, ignoring the pressure building up on his shoulders.

_You have to look deeper where the West begin their days._

The West . . .

It's capitalized . . . 

America?

Where America's day begins . . . ?

_Nature will guide thee. Do not make them angry._

Them? Nature? People of nature? Native tribes?

Bingo!

"I think I know." Yeonjun spoke up after a few minutes of silence. The three pirates looked at him expectantly.

_It's worth a shot, I guess._

"It's Guam." He said, "It's the farthest territory under America, which refers to the 'West' part. And since Guam is almost on the other side of the earth from the West, their day starts earlier." He scratched his nape sheepishly, "I've learned things about Guam because I wanted to go there if given the chance. There're some native tribes there so I guess the 'nature will guide thee, do not make them angry' refers to them."

The three pirates blinked at him and their mouth hang agape at the prince's deduction.

Of course, it was Hueningkai who praised him first, "Shiver me timbers! You're so smart Yeonjunnie!" He cooed, pinching the older's flushed cheeks.

Taehyun nodded at him with a smile, "Impressive. I'll go tell Beomgyu that you solved it."

Yeonjun flushed even more at the red-haired's comment. He wasn't sure of the answer himself and if Taehyun tells it to Beomgyu and it turns out not to be the answer then he would feel utterly embarrassed. But the pirate had already left before he could voice out his complaint.

Soobin seemed to have sensed his distress, "Don't worry if it's wrong. That's the point of an adventure." He comforted, patting Yeonjun's shoulder, "I'm actually pretty sure that you're right anyway."

"Of course he's right! He's my role model. I'm the younger Yeonjunnie from now on." Kai exclaimed, hugging and patting the prince's belly to which the latter stiffened a little. He was still not used to skinships, but he guesses he could start from here.

After awhile, Taehyun returned to their table and whispered something to Soobin, with which the taller nodded and stood up. "Ahoy, me hearties! We got orders from Cap!" He yelled, earning the attention of the rest of the crew.

"Ryujin, Cap says you take some men to gather food for at least two weeks. Baki, get some workers to get a bit more supplies. Accompany them Yuna." Taehyun speaks up, "And he says to tell Chaeryoung to give a message to Uncle Hoseok that we visited. That's it, fuckers! We sail at noon!"

~

Two nights later, Yeonjun found himself not being able to sleep again. He had not seen Beomgyu for three days now, and the need to apologize stills hangs on his head.

He was staring on the wooden ceiling again, hands folded underneath his head as the sound of loud snores echo in the room. Hueningkai's bed feels a little more comfortable now (the younger had insisted for him to use it instead of getting a new one and said he would just crash on Soobin's bed, to which Yeonjun snorted, saying that the pirate was using him as an excuse to sleep with his boyfriend) but his thoughts were all tangled up that he still couldn't sleep. So he resorted to get some fresh air.

He had already established a place to stay on the main deck, where he wouldn't be an obstacle to the pirates' routines, and the view he has is something he still wouldn't get used to. Sure, it's just the wide ocean waters and endless horizons, but it gives him peace and serenity. For once, he was finally able to breathe.

Yeonjun was sitting at one of the crates situated near the bowsprit, looking up at the stars. Silently, he was wishing he could see the eyes with galaxies in them instead.

And as if the stars were always listening, there was a knock on the wooden railing followed by a fake cough. The prince turned to look and saw the one he has been looking for.

"Hey." Beomgyu greeted, one of his hands resting in his pocket. Yeonjun's heart started pounding against his ribcage.

"H-hey." Yeonjun stammered.

"Mind if I-"

"Yes!" The prince answered, a bit too eager. "I-I mean-"

Beomgyu laughed and Yeonjun swore that's how angels sound like. He moved closer to the prince and leaned forward, making Yeonjun flustered, "You're cute."

The captain had already moved away and leaned on the railing beside the prince, but the blush on Yeonjun's face stayed.

Silence enveloped the two of them but Yeonjun's mind was loud. A lot of thoughts were rushing into his head. But on top of it all, he wanted to clear things up with the captain, first and foremost.

" _I'm sorry_." Yeonjun whispered as he watches the pirate for his reaction, but Beomgyu only froze in his place. Nonetheless, the prince continued talking. "I didn't want any of that to happen. I just wanted to go home and I assumed that the Blue Marines could help me, but turns out they weren't as good as I thought." He stood up beside the pirate and gazed out at the quiet sea, "You were right, I shouldn't have left the palace if I would just beg for anyone to take me back. But I did.

"I know you've been wondering why, and how I met Kwonjae. I met him at a pub when I happen to be doing some business of my own. I had a disguise but he recognized me, and then he suddenly gave me a riddle. Basically, the riddle was just to tell me to meet him at the beach. But it seems like your grandfather likes to mess up with people's heads." At that, Beomgyu snorted, "I met with him because I wanted to change my fate. It seems like a dumb reason, that's why I didn't want to tell you.

"But you see, my whole life I was kept inside the palace, protected and guarded by my father for reasons I vaguely know of. He wants to force onto me some things that I didn't like, and I got fed up. I didn't want to live like that anymore." Yeonjun lets out a sigh and he looks at his fingers fidgeting over the railing, "Now, I kind of understood what Kwonjae was trying to hint. If I wanted to change my fate, I couldn't do it while still being stuck in the environment that prevents it. So he took me out here. And to be honest, this _is_ freeing; this is kind of what I asked for. I just regret not being able to tell him my gratitude for this."

There was a pause between them as the sounds of the waves crash against the ship's hull. Yeonjun hoped that the captain could forgive him.

"I'm sure he knows that you're thankful." Beomgyu said. Yeonjun turned to look at him and saw that the pirate was looking up at the stars with a smile gracing his lips.

"How would you know?"

Beomgyu looked back at him and scanned his face, before his eyes settled on the pendant on Yeonjun's neck. He reached out to hold onto it and the latter flinched at the contact of Beomgyu's warm skin against his neck.

"The stars told me." The pirate simply answered, to which Yeonjun creased his forehead in confusion. Beomgyu withdrew his hand and gazed up at the stars once again, and Yeonjun followed his gaze.

The night was dark and the stars were bright and twinkling, as if it was communicating with them. Yeonjun was left in awe at the sight; he had never seen this many stars littered in the sky and it fascinates him how it seemed to be even brighter that night, when he was standing beside the pirate he was starting to admire.

The prince let out a contented sigh as his eyes were fixed to the wide stretch of canvas and scatters of glowing dots. It truly was like an art.

"It's beautiful, isn't it?" Beomgyu broke the silence, Yeonjun hummed in response.

Silence enveloped them again and the prince relished in the comforting atmosphere the captain provides. He felt content, his heart at ease. Until the captain spoke again.

Beomgyu exhales, "I'm sorry too." Yeonjun turned to him for a moment, and looked back up to the sky, allowing himself to feel the little spark of hope ignited by the pirate. "I- I never thought I would lose Kwonjae this way, but that old man certainly knew what he was doing anyway.

"My grandfather is the Bearer of the Star Emblem. My mom inherited it from him, and I inherited it from her. Kwonjae knows when the stars would align. Basically, he can have a gist of one's fate, as it was written by the stars."

Yeonjun's breath hitch at the knowledge. _So that was why-_

"That's why he knew you wanted to change your fate." The captain voiced out for him, "You're right, it was previously your fate to just stay in Jeju, get married to a princess, and become king. But you wished for a change, didn't you? Do you know where you asked that wish from?"

Yeonjun's mind was running with thoughts. Somewhere in the depths of his soul was screaming at him that he knew the answer, but it wasn't loud enough for the prince to hear, clouded by his own pounding heart ringing in his ears.

He remembers where he would always look when he was asking for a change, "The stars."

He remembers waiting for some falling star to miraculously grant his wish. Unknowingly, the stars had heard him regardless.

Beomgyu smiled at his answer, "Kwonjae had heard you. And eventually, decided to help. That old man is reckless; he knew he shouldn't mess with people's fates but he always does." He laughed lightly, fondness for the old man was wrapped in every syllable he muttered. "Oh, and you shouldn't apologize for his death. He probably knew it was going to happen to him, but didn't tell me when we met the last time."

"He knew that _that_ was his fate? Why didn't he try to change it then?" Yeonjun questioned.

The pirate only looked up at the stars, as if the question was directed there, before he let out a chuckle, "I don't know. That old bastard could be heroically dumb sometimes."

Yeonjun laughed at the answer, "I guess he really is your grandfather."

"Did you just call me dumb?"

The prince shrugged, a teasing grin on his lips.

"You're calling me dumb after you solved the riddle, huh? I see how it is." Beomgyu laughed, "Although I must admit, that was pretty impressive." He added, winking and making the prince's cheeks flush pink.

Yeonjun hated how he can't tease the pirate without blushing when teased back.

The two boys talked as the night settles deeper, discussing about everything and nothing. Beomgyu found out that Yeonjun's head has a dent, and Yeonjun found out that Beomgyu's head has a bump. And as stupid as it may sound, they shifted to put their heads together and it fitted like a perfect puzzle piece, making the two of them bend over their stomachs in laughter.

When the prince laid back on his bed that night, the smile never left his face until he was pulled to slumber. He had always liked stargazing. But he enjoyed it a lot more now with the captain's company.

Yeonjun thinks that watching the stars sparkle in Beomgyu's eyes was the best view he could ever see.

Drowning in his starry gaze, Yeonjun tucked in his thoughts at the back of his mind for another day.


End file.
